Owners of Android smartphones are often faced with the need to transfer correspondence history or restore data after resetting the settings. The key to this process is to understand the physical structure of the device's file system. Many users mistakenly believe that data disappears forever when the application is deleted, but the messenger regularly creates local archives. By default, they are saved in the internal storage of your gadget. This happens every day at 02:00 am if the device is turned on and connected to the network. You can find these files through any file manager, but the path to them changed depending on the version of the operating system.
Default Whatsapp backups are saved in the internal storage of your gadget. This happens every day at 02:00 am if the device is turned on and connected to the network. You can find these files through any file manager, but the path to them changed depending on the version of the operating system.
Understanding this where exactly is the database fileis critically important when manually transferring chats to a new phone or when trying to restore correspondence if synchronization with the Google Drive cloud for some reason did not work. In this article we will analyze in detail the folder structure and methods of working with backup files.
The main path to the backup files
Starting with Android 11, Google's security policy has become more stringent, which has led to changes in the standard directories for applications. Now the messenger files are in a protected area of the system. To get to them, you will need a file manager with access rights to system folders or a connection to a computer.
The standard path looks like this: Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases. This is where the main file named msgstore.db.crypt and its numbered versions for previous days are stored. It is important to note that the extension .crypt indicates an encrypted data format.
On older versions of Android (up to and including 10), the path was simpler and was located in the root of the internal memory: WhatsApp/Databases. If you are using an outdated device or custom firmware, check this directory first.
⚠️ Attention: The folder
Android/mediamay be hidden from view by standard file managers. If you don't see it, try connecting your phone to your PC in file transfer mode (MTP) or use advanced managers like Solid Explorer or MiXplorer.
If you can't find the folder through a standard explorer, use the file search inside the manager by entering "msgstore" in the search bar. This is faster than manually wandering through directories.
Inside the folder Databases you will find several files. A file without a date in the name (for example, msgstore.db.crypt14) is the most recent copy. The remaining files contain the creation date in the name and are stored for 7 days, after which they are automatically deleted by the system to save space.
Database file structure and encryption
Backup files are encrypted SQLite databases. The number at the end of the file extension (crypt12, crypt14, crypt15) indicates the version of the encryption algorithm, which depends on the version of the installed messenger. Simply renaming the extension will not make the file readable without a decryption key.
The decryption key (key) is stored in the system partition of the phone along the path /data/data/com.whatsapp/files/key. Access to this folder is only possible if there is root access. Without this key, you will not be able to read the contents of the database on your computer with third-party apps.
However, for the standard recovery procedure inside the WhatsApp application itself, a key is not needed. The messenger automatically finds it in a protected memory area when installed again. Your task is simply to place the correct backup file in the correct folder.
Is it possible to read chats on a computer without a phone?
Theoretically, yes, if you have root access and you can extract the key file along with the database file (msgstore.db.crypt). There are utilities like WhatsApp Viewer that allow you to decrypt the database, but this process is difficult for the average user and requires technical knowledge.
Encryption versions are constantly updated by developers to improve security. If you try to restore a copy created on a very old version of the application on a new smartphone with the latest update, a format incompatibility error may occur.
Local storage vs Google Drive
In addition to local storage on the device's flash memory, WhatsApp offers a cloud backup feature through the service Google Drive. This is the most convenient method for most users, since it does not take up space in the phone’s internal memory and protects data in case of physical breakdown of the device.
However, there are significant differences between these two methods. A local copy is created automatically every night and is stored only on the device. The cloud copy is created according to a schedule (daily, weekly or monthly), which you configure manually in the application settings.
| Characteristics | Local copy (Internal) | Google Drive (Cloud) |
|---|---|---|
| Storage location | Internal phone memory | Google cloud account |
| Network requirements | Not required for creation | Wi-Fi or mobile data required |
| Accessibility | Only from the current device | From any device when logging into your account |
| Encryption | The key is stored on the device | Optional end-to-end encryption |
When restoring WhatsApp data, by default priority is given to the local copy if it is newer than the cloud one. If you want to restore data specifically from the cloud, you need to delete local backup files before starting the installation process.
How to manually restore chats from a local copy
Sometimes a situation arises when automatic recovery does not work, or you need to roll back to the version of the correspondence from a week ago. In this case, you must manually replace the files. This process requires care, as an error in the file name can lead to data loss.
First, make sure that you have a file manager installed. Find the backup folder along the path specified in the first section. Select the file with the desired date that you want to recover. For example, if you need a copy from 5 days ago, find a file with the corresponding date in the name.
- 📂 Copy the selected file to a safe place (for example, on your computer or in another folder) in case of an error.
- 🔄 Rename the current file
msgstore.db.cryptXX(no date) to any other name, for examplemsgstore.db.cryptXX.current. - ✂️ Select a file with the desired date (for example,
msgstore-2023-10-25.1.db.crypt14) and remove the part of the name with the date, leaving onlymsgstore.db.crypt14. - 💾 Make sure that the encryption version (the number after crypt) matches the one that was in the original file.
☑️ Checklist before recovery
After renaming, delete the WhatsApp application and install it again. When you first start it, after checking your phone number, the messenger will offer to find a backup copy. If you did everything correctly, it will detect the local file and offer to restore the history from it.
⚠️ Attention: When restoring from a local copy, all messages received after the date of this backup will be irretrievably lost. Be prepared for the conversation to roll back in time.
Transferring a backup copy to a new smartphone
When changing devices, the most reliable way to transfer chat history is to use local files, especially if the amount of data is large or the Internet speed is low. This method avoids long downloads from the cloud and potential synchronization errors.
To transfer, you will need to connect both phones to the computer or use a memory card (if the new smartphone supports microSD). Copy the entire folder Databases from the old device to the new one, observing the correct directory structure.
If WhatsApp is already installed on the new phone, be sure to delete it before copying the files. Paste the folder with the database into the appropriate directory of the new phone: Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/ for new Androids or into the root for old ones.
The main secret of a successful transfer: the name of the recovery file must be strictly msgstore.db.cryptXX without specifying the date. Any deviation in the name will result in the application not seeing the backup copy.
After copying the files, install WhatsApp on the new phone. When launched, the application will automatically scan your memory, find transferred files and offer to restore your correspondence history. This method works faster than downloading gigabytes of data over the Internet.
Common problems and ways to solve them
Despite the simplicity of the process, users often encounter errors when working with backups. The most common problem is the message "Backup not found" even though there are files in the folder. This is often due to incorrect access rights or paths.
Another common situation is the "Insufficient space" error. To unpack and install a backup, free space is required that is approximately 2-3 times larger than the size of the archive file itself. If the phone's memory is full, the recovery process will be interrupted.
- 🚫 Android version error: On new phones without root access, some file managers do not see the folder
Android/media. Solution: use the built-in explorer or connect the phone to a PC. - 🔒 Encryption problem: If you took a backup file from one account and try to restore it on another phone number, the restoration will not succeed. Encryption keys are tied to a specific number.
- 📉 Damaged file: If the file
msgstore.db.crypthas a size of 0 KB or cannot be opened, it means that the copy creation process was interrupted. Try to take the file from the previous day.
⚠️ Attention: The interface and file paths may vary slightly depending on the manufacturer's shell (MIUI, OneUI, ColorOS). If the standard paths do not work, check the official help from your smartphone manufacturer.
It is also worth remembering that media files (photos, videos) are not always stored in the same folder as the database. Often they are located in a separate directory WhatsApp/Media. When manually transferring, do not forget to copy this folder, otherwise the restored chats will have placeholders instead of pictures.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions
Is it possible to restore messages without a backup?
Unfortunately, no. If you don't have a local copy in your Databases folder or a copy in Google Drive, you won't be able to recover deleted messages. WhatsApp does not store chat history on its servers after messages are delivered.
How to increase the frequency of creating local copies?
You cannot set the frequency of local copying using standard WhatsApp tools - it always happens at 02:00. However, you can manually create a copy at any time by going to Settings → Chats → Chat backup and clicking the "Backup" button.
Why does the backup file take up so much space?
Size file depends on the volume of text messages and the number of media files included in the backup. If you frequently send videos and photos, your database will grow. It is recommended to disable video backup in the settings to save space.
What to do if WhatsApp says “Recovery completed with errors”?
This may indicate that the database file is damaged. Try deleting the current file msgstore.db.crypt and rename the copy from the previous day to it. If the problem persists, the file may be encrypted with a key that the current version of the application does not have access to.
Where is the encryption key stored on the computer?
The encryption key is stored exclusively within a protected area of the memory of the smartphone itself. The key is not saved on your computer or in the Google Drive cloud (unless end-to-end encryption of backups is enabled with a separate password). Without a phone, it is extremely difficult to decrypt the database.