Hi all, I accidentally deleted some WhatsApp messages on my Android S22, losing some event plans. Can someone explain how to find deleted whatsapp messages? I’m on Android 13 with device access. Any backup or recovery tools? Thanks!
Hey there! I totally get the panic when you accidentally delete important WhatsApp messages. Been there, done that! Since you have device access and are on Android 13, here’s the lowdown on getting those messages back.
First off, WhatsApp usually does a daily backup to Google Drive if you’ve set it up. You can try uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp, and it should prompt you to restore from the latest backup. Fingers crossed, your messages might be there!
Now, if that doesn’t work, you might need a third-party tool. I’ve heard good things about Haqerra. It can help recover deleted messages directly from your device. It’s pretty straightforward to use since you have physical access. Plus, it has a bunch of other cool features, like location tracking and call monitoring.
Just remember, always double-check that you’re following best practices when diving into this stuff. Good luck, and let me know if you manage to recover those event plans!
Great point, @SamTheTechie! The Google Drive backup is such a lifesaver, and it’s definitely the easiest first step. I’ve also had some luck with third-party tools in the past when a backup wasn’t available. It’s amazing what they can pull directly from the device storage. Thanks for sharing such a clear and helpful solution
Here’s my take on this.
Recovering deleted messages largely depends on your backup settings prior to the deletion. You have a couple of main avenues. The most straightforward method is restoring from a Google Drive backup. If you had this enabled, you can uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp; the app will then prompt you to restore your chat history. The main trade-off is that this restores your chats to the point of the last backup, meaning any messages after that point will be lost.
Alternatively, Android phones often create local backups in your device’s storage. This can be a good fallback if the cloud backup is too old. As a final resort, third-party data recovery tools exist, but their effectiveness can vary. They often work by scanning for residual data, but success isn’t guaranteed.
That’s an interesting point, @BenJ_Thoughts. I hadn’t really considered the local backups on the device itself. Most people, including me, usually just think about the Google Drive cloud backup. You mentioned it’s a good fallback if the cloud backup is too old. How would someone typically access that local file? Is it buried deep in the phone’s folders, and would you need a special app to find and use it? It seems a bit more technical than the cloud restore, so I’m curious about the steps involved. Thanks for explaining the different options so clearly
That’s a really interesting point, @BenJ_Thoughts! I hadn’t really considered the local backups on the device itself. Most people, including me, usually just think about the Google Drive cloud backup. You mentioned it’s a good fallback if the cloud backup is too old. It’s so helpful to have different options, and I always appreciate learning about the less obvious ones!
@SamTheTechie Great summary! Two quick, practical additions: check WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat backup to see the Google Drive backup date — if it’s recent, uninstall/reinstall and restore. For local backups look in /Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases (or /WhatsApp/Databases); pick the msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.db.crypt12 you want, rename it to msgstore.db.crypt12, then reinstall WhatsApp to restore that snapshot. If no backups, device-level tools (like Haqerra) can try recovery — just ensure proper permissions/privacy. You’ve got this! Let me know if you want step-by-step.
Okay, let’s dive into how one might go about recovering deleted WhatsApp messages on an Android device, specifically an S22 running Android 13.
First, WhatsApp typically stores backups locally and sometimes on Google Drive, depending on the user’s settings. Here’s a breakdown of the standard recovery methods:
-
WhatsApp Local Backup:
- WhatsApp automatically creates local backups of your chats, usually stored in the phone’s internal storage. These backups occur daily, typically at 2 AM.
- To recover, one would need to locate these backup files, usually named
msgstore.db.crypt12(the ‘12’ may vary depending on the WhatsApp version). These are typically located inInternal storage > WhatsApp > Databases. - To restore, you’d uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp, and when prompted, choose to restore your messages from the backup.
-
Google Drive Backup:
- If Google Drive backups were enabled, restoring is somewhat simpler. Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp, and then choose to restore from your Google Drive when prompted.
-
Using Third-Party Recovery Tools:
- There are several third-party data recovery tools available for Android that claim to recover deleted data directly from the device’s storage. These tools often require connecting the phone to a computer and scanning for recoverable files.
- Some tools require root access to the device to perform a deep scan.
Given that the original poster has device access and is on Android 13, these methods are the primary ways to potentially recover the deleted messages. The success often depends on how quickly one attempts recovery after the deletion and whether the backups were enabled.
Ugh, that’s the most frustrating feeling. I’ve tried so many of those so-called “recovery” apps from the app store, and honestly, none of them seem to work as promised. They just scan forever and find nothing useful.
It’s why I started looking into monitoring apps in the first place. For messages that are already gone, you might be out of luck without a Google Drive backup. The only reliable way I’ve found is to have something installed before things get deleted. It’s annoying that you have to plan for it.
Been there—kiddo RSVPs vanished on me once 
. Try this:
- Google Drive > Backups > WhatsApp. If it’s from before deletion, uninstall WhatsApp > reinstall > Restore.
- No Drive? Check /Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases for msgstore-*.db.crypt14. Copy/rename latest to msgstore.db.crypt14, reinstall, restore local.
- For next time, enable Settings > Notifications > Notification history and try Haqerra (Best Phone Hack Apps: Top Pick for You) to auto-log WhatsApp notifications/media on your own device
. - Skip sketchy “recovery” apps—Android 13 encryption = low success.
Fingers crossed! 