Have you ever encountered the unpleasant surprise that an important message in WhatsApp has disappeared? Whether it was accidentally deleted, deleted by the sender, or even due to a bug on your device, you are not alone. Recovering deleted conversations on WhatsApp can seem complicated, but there are several solutions, for both Android and iPhone, that can help you solve this problem.
In this article, we present you with a comprehensive analysis of all the available options so that you do not miss out on valuable information. From WhatsApp native tools to third-party applications, and even small tricks that can be very useful. We will guide you step by step so that you can recover those messages that you thought were lost forever.
When can deleted WhatsApp messages be recovered?
First, it is important to clarify that WhatsApp does not store messages on its serversThis means that once a message is deleted, it disappears for both the sender and the recipient, and no trace remains on the company's servers.
However, there are certain methods to try. retrieve messagesFor example, thanks to WhatsApp's notification system, it is possible to save the content of messages that arrive on your phone before they are deleted. On Android, access to the notification log is more accessible, while on iPhone, this option is more limited.
How to use backups to recover messages
Backups are one of the most reliable tools for recovering deleted messages. WhatsApp allows you to make a backup automatic backup of your chats in Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone). But there is one important detail: You can only recover deleted messages that were present in the most recent backup..
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings> Chats> Backup.
- Check the latest backup date. If the deleted message is included in it, uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.
- During the setup process, select the option to restore backup.
Please note that this method involves losing messages received after the backup date.
Apps to recover deleted messages
There are several external applications that can help you recover deleted WhatsApp messages. On Android, these apps usually work by saving notifications of messages you receive. Some examples are:
- WAMR: an app that captures the content of notifications and stores them. It is useful for text messages and even multimedia content.
- WhatsRemoved+: Similar to WAMR, this app saves notification history and deleted media files from WhatsApp.
For iPhone users, the options are more limited due to operating system restrictions. However, tools like D-Back iPhone WhatsApp Recovery o Aiseesoft Fonelab can work.
It is important to mention that these applications have their limitations. For example, they do not recover messages deleted before their installation and they can compromise privacy of your data.
Notification history on Android
Newer Android devices (Android 11 and above) include a feature called notification historyThis feature allows you to review past notifications, including those containing deleted WhatsApp messages.
To enable this feature, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings > Notifications > Notification history.
- Enable this option to have the device record all incoming notifications.
You can then search for WhatsApp notifications and read the content of the deleted message if it generated a notification. However, this method has limitations, such as only the first 100 characters of the message can be recovered and it does not work for multimedia content.
Undo deleting messages on WhatsApp
WhatsApp has introduced a feature that allows undo delete of a message if done quickly. After deleting a message, a notice will appear on the screen with the option Undo. If you select it, the deleted message will be restored, but only if you did not select the “Delete for everyone” option.
This feature is only available in newer versions of the app, so it's important to keep it updated from the Google Play Store or the App Store.
Manual recovery from device files
On Android devices, WhatsApp messages and backups are stored in the WhatsApp folder. sdcard / WhatsApp / DatabasesIf you have disabled cloud backup, you can still try to recover messages manually:
- Access this folder using a file manager.
- Rename the most recent backup file to msgstore.db.crypt12.
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp and select the option to restore from local backup.
Please note that this method is only valid if the backup contains the deleted messages.
Recovering deleted WhatsApp conversations isn't always an impossible mission. With a combination of native methods, third-party tools, and a little forethought, you can ensure that you recover important information or at least minimize losses in the future.