Are you someone who relies on WhatsApp to stay in touch with loved ones? Have you ever thought about what would happen if your WhatsApp conversations were lost? It can be quite upsetting to lose significant messages, but there’s no need to despair.
If you’ve mistakenly deleted chats or switched devices, retrieving those messages can be straightforward if you have backups. However, if you lack any backup, you may feel a bit anxious, but there’s no reason to panic.
Things to do when the backup is disabled and additional tips
Discovering varied backup options for WhatsApp on Android
Looking at some common causes of deletion
Decoding the step-by-step procedure of restoration
Understanding Different WhatsApp Backup Options on Android
Before diving into different methods to recover deleted WhatsApp messages on Android mobile phones, it’s important to understand how WhatsApp creates a backup of your data. WhatsApp provides two different backup options to back up chat history:
Google Drive Backup: If enabled on your Android phone, WhatsApp automatically backs up chat history to Google Drive at regular intervals.
Local Backup: Every day at 2 a.m., WhatsApp makes a copy of your messages locally on your device.
Interesting Facts Media shared in communities and updates from WhatsApp Channels are included, though some channel content may not be backed up if you are not the admin. (source)
Common Causes for Deletion of WhatsApp Messages on Android Phones
WhatsApp messages on Android phones are deleted for a variety of reasons, ranging from accidental human error to software malfunction. Understanding the exact cause of the lost messages can help in identifying an adequate recovery workaround and prevent future data loss. Some main reasons include:
User Error: You might have unintentionally deleted chats, media files, or even cleaned up entire conversations.
App Reinstallation: Reinstalling the WhatsApp application on your Android device without proper backup deletes all the chats.
Factory Resetting: Performing a factory reset of your Android device deletes all its content, including WhatsApp chats stored locally.
Software Glitches: Unexpected app crashes or outdated applications may lead to data corruption and deletion of recent messages.
Virus or Malware Attacks: Downloading files or apps from unauthorized sources introduces viruses or malware on your device, which can target personal data including WhatsApp chats.
How do I Restore Lost WhatsApp Chats on Android With Backup? [Quick Methods]
First and foremost, it is important to check if you have any previously created backup of lost WhatsApp chats. In this part of the blog, we will discuss different Android data recovery methods to help you learn how to recover deleted WhatsApp chats from Android, with or without backup:
Method 01: Recover Deleted WhatsApp Chats Using Google Drive Backup
If you have enabled Google Drive backup in WhatsApp on your Android phone before message deletion, it will back up and sync your WhatsApp data regularly. To recover deleted WhatsApp messages on Android using Google Drive backup, follow the steps outlined below:
Firstly, you need to check whether the backup was created. For this, make sure your Google Account and Android device are linked together.
Now, uninstall and then reinstall the WhatsApp application from the Play Store on your Android device. Open the app and verify your mobile number.
After successful verification, WhatsApp will detect an available backup on Google Drive.
Click the Restore button and wait till the chats and media get restored. Once done, tap the Next button to conclude the process.
Method 02: Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages from Local Android Backup
You can also create a backup of your WhatsApp message on a local storage or SD card of your Android device. If you don’t have a Google Drive backup, you can restore lost chats with local backups. All you have to do is:
Launch the File Manager app on your Android phone, then navigate to your local storage or SD card.
Click on WhatsApp > Databases. Locate and copy the latest backup to your local storage database on your Android device.
Now, uninstall and reinstall the WhatsApp application, then verify your phone number.
After the account is set up, click the Restore button to recover your deleted chats and media from the local backup.
Intriguing Insights This infographic shows important WhatsApp statistics
What if I Don’t Have Any WhatsApp Backup?
There’s the possibility that you don’t have any backup of your lost WhatsApp chats. In such cases, you can use third-party Android data recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery for Android to recover deleted WhatsApp messages on Android phones. This user-friendly Android data recovery software allows you to restore deleted files of various types, including photos, videos, documents, and many more in a few simple clicks.
Whether your WhatsApp chats are deleted due to accidental deletion, system failure, or software malfunction, Stellar Data Recovery for Android will be the easiest recovery option. Here are some more features of this tool:
The software works with Android version 6 to the latest Android Version 14.
It can recover data from your Android device without rooting.
Compatible with all popular Android brands, including Samsung, OnePlus, Oppo, Vivo, etc.
Recover files from internal phone storage, virus or malware-infected Android devices, and the emptied Recycle Bin folder.
It allows you to preview the recoverable files before saving them at any desired location.
Follow the steps below to recover lost WhatsApp messages on your phone using this Android data recovery software:
Step 1: Download and install the Stellar Data Recovery for Android software on your PC or Laptop. Connect your Android phone to that device with a USB cable.
Step 2: Launch the software, select Recover WhatsApp Data from the left pane of the homepage, and click Next to continue.
Step 3: Go through the steps shown in the following screenshot to Enable USB Debugging on your Android phone.
Step 4: After completion, the Connected Device window will appear on your PC’s screen. Click Scan to initiate the scanning process.
Step 5: Once the scan is done, a Disconnect from Google Drive dialogue box will appear on your device screen. The tool will prompt you to take your latest local chat backup and disconnect the device from Google Drive. After that, follow the below instructions and click Next.
Step 6: Now, click the OK button, preview the recoverable files and select the messages or media files you want to restore.
Step 7: Lastly, click the Save button to move the recovered data to the desired location on your device.
Additional Tips to Prevent Future Data Loss
To avoid the deletion of WhatsApp chats from your Android phone in the future, consider the following best practices:
Enable Google Drive Backup: Launch the WhatsApp application, and go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Google Drive to enable backup of your device at regular intervals.
Export Important Messages: WhatsApp allows you to export important chats by which you can save the chat as a text file or an email. For this, open the chat you have to export, click the three-dot icon, and go to More > Export Chat.
Use Cloud Storage for Media: Sync your Android phone with Google Photos or OneDrive to automatically back up your WhatsApp media files.
Conclusion
Recovering lost WhatsApp chats on Android may appear to be a difficult task, but the methods listed above will help you retrieve deleted messages quickly. Whether you have any previously created backup or not, you can recover deleted WhatsApp messages on your Android phone with the above steps.
In case no backup is available, try professional Android data recovery software such as Stellar Data Recovery for Android. Moreover, to prevent future data loss, always enable automatic backups and regularly export important conversations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the benefit of backup in WhatsApp?
WhatsApp backups prevent data loss by safeguarding your chat history and media files from being lost due to a lost, stolen, or damaged device.
Can I recover deleted WhatsApp chats?
Yes, you can recover deleted WhatsApp chats by uninstalling and reinstalling the app, which prompts you to restore from a cloud backup stored on Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iOS).
What happens if I never backup my WhatsApp?
If you don’t back up your WhatsApp chats, you risk losing all your conversations and media if you switch phones, reinstall the app, or factory reset your device.