Losing important WhatsApp messages can be a frustrating experience, especially if they contain valuable conversations, media files, or important information. However, WhatsApp provides options to recover deleted messages, whether accidentally deleted or lost due to device issues.
In this detailed blog, we’ll walk through the steps on how to restore WhatsApp messages for greater convenience and data security. So, let’s dive in!
Regularly back up your WhatsApp chats to avoid data loss, and ensure you have sufficient storage space in Google Drive or iCloud. Additionally, consider enabling automatic backups for convenience and peace of mind.
How to Restore Messages on WhatsApp?
Restoring WhatsApp backup files involves several steps, especially if you want to do WhatsApp chat recovery of deleted messages. Here’s a general guideline and different methods on how to restore WhatsApp chat messages:
1.Check Backup Settings: Open your WhatsApp account, go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup. Make sure you have recent backups available.
2. Reinstall WhatsApp: If you’ve lost messages and need to restore from a backup, uninstall WhatsApp and reinstall it from your app store.
3. Verify Phone Number: After reinstalling WhatsApp, open the app and verify your phone number. This step is crucial to access your account and restore iOS and Google account backup.
4. Restore from Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone):
- Android: WhatsApp backups are stored on Google Drive. During the setup process, WhatsApp will prompt you to restore from Google Drive if a backup is available.
- iPhone: WhatsApp backups are stored on iCloud. On iPhone, during the setup process, WhatsApp will ask if you want to restore from iCloud if a backup is detected.
5. Manual Restoration (if necessary):
- Local Backup: If you have a local backup file on your device (Android: WhatsApp > Databases; iPhone: iCloud backup), you can manually restore it. This is useful if automatic restoration fails.
- Third-Party Tools (optional): There are third-party tools that claim to recover deleted WhatsApp messages. Use them cautiously, as they may not always be reliable.
Considerations To Keep In Mind When Using WhatsApp For Business
- Regularly back up your WhatsApp chats to avoid losing important messages.
- Ensure you have enough storage space on Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone) for backups.
- Restoring from a backup will replace current chat data. Any messages received after the backup won’t be included unless you back up again before restoring.
By following these steps, you can learn how to restore WhatsApp backup from Google Drive or through manual methods.
: How to Backup WhatsApp Business and Transfer To Another Phone?How to Restore Deleted WhatsApp Messages on Android Devices?
If you need to recover chats that were deleted long ago, you can use the following steps:
- Download a file manager app from the app store.
- Open the file manager app and navigate to your device’s internal storage.
- Find the WhatsApp folder and then locate the “databases” subfolder.
- Look for the file named something like “msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12.” This is your backup file.
- Rename this file to “msgstore.db.crypt12.” Ensure you only change the date part of the file name, not the crypt number.
- Uninstall WhatsApp from your device.
- Reinstall WhatsApp from the app store.
- During the setup process, choose the “Restore” option when prompted to recover your WhatsApp chats.
It’s important to note that these steps rely on having regular backups of your WhatsApp chats. If you haven’t backed up your chats or if the backup doesn’t include the deleted chats, they may not be recoverable. Consider setting reminders to check your chat backup settings periodically to ensure you can recover important chats when needed.
How to Restore Deleted WhatsApp Messages on iPhone?
It can be stressful to lose important WhatsApp texts, but you can recover them using an iCloud backup. If you’re wondering how to restore WhatsApp messages, the process is simple. Before proceeding, make sure you have a recent backup so you can restore your messages without losing any data.
1. Verify iCloud Backup Availability
Prior to retrieving your WhatsApp messages, verify whether an iCloud backup exists. You can see it by going to the Settings app. In the app, go down and tap on the iCloud Backup option.
When you scroll down, you’ll see all the devices signed in with your Apple ID. Select the device you want the backup of. Now, the list of apps will appear (along with the size they capture on your phone).
Tap on WhatsApp. Here, if a backup is available, check the date to make sure that it includes your deleted messages. If it is available, you can proceed and recover. But, if there is no recent backup, you may not be able to recover lost chats.
2. Uninstall WhatsApp Application
To start the restoration process, you first need to remove WhatsApp from your phone.
On your home screen, press and hold the WhatsApp symbol. A menu with the intended actions will then appear. Tap Remove App, then select Delete App to uninstall it completely.
This step is necessary because reinstalling WhatsApp triggers the option to restore chats from an iCloud backup.
You need not worry because your backup is safe on iCloud, which you did in the first step. You’ll also retrieve those chats in the next steps.
3. Reinstall WhatsApp from the App Store
From this step onwards, the restoration process kickstarts.
Once WhatsApp is uninstalled, go to the App Store application. Now, search for WhatsApp in the search bar and then select the download symbol.
Once the app is installed, open it. Don’t set it up yet. First, you’ll have to restore your messages.
4. Verify Your Phone Number
Once you reinstall the app, open it and enter the phone number linked to your WhatsApp account. You will receive a 6-digit verification code via SMS. Enter it to confirm your identity.
Here it is important that you enter the same phone number that you used for the backup earlier. Entering any other phone number will hinder the process, and WhatsApp won’t detect your chat history.
If you don’t receive the code, see your network connection once or request a resend.
Once it verifies the contact number, you’ll be prompted to restore messages from iCloud.
5. Restore Chat History
Once the phone number has been confirmed, WhatsApp will automatically identify an iCloud backup associated with your account. Now, tap Restore Chat History and wait for the process to complete.
The time it generally takes depends on the backup size and the internet speed. Therefore, you must have a stable Wi-Fi connection. Plus, do not close the app or interrupt the process with any other action, as this may cause incomplete restoration.
Once it finishes, all your chats and media from the backup will appear in WhatsApp.
6. Enable Stable Internet Connection
A stable and strong internet connection is important for a smooth restoration process. Doing this through mobile data can sometimes hinder the process. To avoid this, connect your phone to a Wi-Fi network, as backups can be large.
Remember: If the connection is slow or unstable, the restoration may fail or take longer than expected. If you face connectivity problems, then restart your Wi-Fi router or switch to other networks.
7. Confirm Restoration Completion
Finally, once the restoration process is complete, open WhatsApp and check if all your chats and media have been restored. Scroll the chats to make sure nothing is missing.
If you can’t see some messages or files, try to restart the app or wait for a few minutes for media files to sync.
Still, if the restoration is incomplete, you may need to repeat the process.
Finally, go to the Settings app on WhatsApp > Chats > Chat Backup to verify that automatic backups are enabled for future data protection.
Note – Ensure you have recent iCloud backups that include your WhatsApp data.
Alternative Methods for Restoration
There are third-party tools claiming to recover deleted WhatsApp messages on iOS. Use them cautiously and verify their reliability.
Restore WhatsApp Messages Easily!
Recover lost chats and never miss important conversations.
5 Steps to Restore WhatsApp Chats Using Local Backups
Here are the five key steps you need to follow to restore WhatsApp Chats using local backups:
Step 1: Open the file manager on your phone to access internal storage.
Step 2: Navigate to the WhatsApp folder, then open the Databases subfolder.
Step 3: Move the latest backup file to the Databases folder on your new device.
Step 4: Reinstall WhatsApp and complete phone number verification.
Step 5: When prompted, select Restore to load chats from the local backup.
How to Backup for WhatsApp BusinessHow to Backup WhatsApp Chats?
Backing up WhatsApp chats is crucial to ensure you don’t lose important conversations and media files. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to backup WhatsApp chats on both Android and iOS devices:
Backup WhatsApp Chats on Android Devices
- Launch the WhatsApp application on your Android device.
- Tap on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner to access the menu, then select “Settings.”
- In the Settings menu, select “Chats.”
- Tap on “Chat backup” to access backup settings.
- Under “Google Drive settings,” select the Google account you want to use for backups and choose how often you want WhatsApp to back up your chats (daily, weekly, monthly, or never).
- To manually back up your chats immediately, tap on “BACK UP.”
Backup WhatsApp Chats on iOS Devices (iPhone)
- Launch the WhatsApp application on your iPhone.
- Tap on “Settings” at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- In the Settings menu, select “Chats.”
- Tap on “Chat Backup” to access backup settings.
- Toggle on “Auto Backup” to enable automatic backups to iCloud. You can choose the backup frequency (daily, weekly, monthly).
- To manually back up your chats immediately, tap on “Back Up Now.”
: How To Create WhatsApp Business Account? (In Minutes!)Conclusion
Backing up WhatsApp chats is a fundamental practice to safeguard important conversations, media files, and memories. Both Android and iOS devices offer easy-to-use methods for creating backups, either manually or automatically. Regular backups not only protect your data from accidental deletion or device failures but also ensure that you can easily restore your chats whenever needed. Additionally, integrating a WhatsApp shared inbox can help businesses and teams manage conversations more efficiently while ensuring that all important messages are securely backed up and accessible when required.
Remember to check your backup settings periodically, maintain sufficient storage space in Google Drive or iCloud, and include media files in your backups if necessary. By following these steps and staying proactive about backups, you can enjoy a worry-free WhatsApp experience and preserve your valuable conversations for the long term.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can restore your WhatsApp chat history by reinstalling WhatsApp and restoring from a backup (Google Drive backup for Android, iCloud for iOS) during the setup process.
Yes, deleted WhatsApp messages can be recovered from backups if you have regularly backed up your chats.
Generally, WhatsApp messages cannot be recovered without a backup. Regular backups are essential for restoring deleted messages.
If you skipped restoring an old WhatsApp chat during the restoration process, you may not be able to recover it unless you have a separate backup specifically for that chat.
Updated : March 21, 2025
Supriya is a proficient content developer with significant expertise in the domain of omnichannel communication solutions. She has a proven track record of delivering insights that empower organizations to optimize customer engagement. Passionate about the evolving landscape of business communication technology, Supriya stays at the forefront of trends in the field.
Subscribe to our newsletter & never miss our latest news and promotions.
+21K people have already subscribed