Reinstalling the messenger on Honor smartphones often becomes necessary when critical errors occur in the application or after resetting the settings to the factory state. Many users are afraid of this process, believing that the entire history of correspondence, media files and important documents will be irretrievably lost. However, with the right approach to preparing and performing the recovery procedure data, you can return chats in full.
The situation with Honor devices has its own characteristics due to the lack of Google services on new models, which requires a more careful approach to choosing a backup method. In this article, we will analyze in detail all the available methods of saving information before deleting the application and its subsequent installation. You will learn how to use both cloud storage and local files to ensure complete security of your personal information.
The process does not require deep technical knowledge, but requires strict adherence to the sequence of actions. Ignoring even one step may result in the backup being unreadable or not being found at all by the system upon initialization. Therefore, we strongly advise you to carefully study each step before starting to manipulate your Honor.
Preparing for reinstallation and choosing a backup method
Before you start uninstalling the application, you need to decide on how to save your dialogs. There are two main ways: using Google Drive cloud storage or creating a local copy directly in the device’s internal memory. The choice depends on the model of your smartphone and whether you have a Google account.
For owners of older Honor models that support Google services, the best option is synchronization with Google Drive. This is the most reliable method, since the copy is stored remotely and will not be affected even if the phone’s memory is completely formatted. The process of setting up automatic backup takes only a few minutes and requires a stable Wi-Fi connection.
If you have a new model without Google services, you will have to rely on local saving. In this case, it is critical to manually copy the database folder to your computer or external media before deleting the application. Local files are stored in hidden directories of the system, access to which can be limited without using a file manager with extended rights.
⚠️ Attention: Before starting the procedure, be sure to connect your smartphone to the charger. The process of creating a backup and subsequent installation can take a significant amount of time and consume a lot of energy.
Make sure that you have enough free space on your device. The backup copy can weigh from several hundred megabytes to several gigabytes, depending on the number of media files in the chats. Lack of space can lead to interruption of the archiving process and the creation of a broken file that cannot be restored.
☑️ Preparing for a safe reinstallation
Creating a backup via Google Drive on devices with GMS
If yours Honor supports work with Google services, backup settings are done directly in the messenger interface. Open the application and go to the settings section by selecting Chats, and then Backup copy of chats. Here you can see the date of the last save and the size of the archive.
To create a current copy, click the button Backup. The system will prompt you to select the Google account to which the archive will be linked, and the frequency of automatic updates. It is recommended to set the update to daily or weekly to minimize the risk of losing fresh messages in the future.
It is important to check your video download quality settings. By default, the messenger may not save video recordings to the cloud to save space. If video files from correspondence are important to you, change the setting Video to "Enabled". This will increase the size of the copy, but will ensure that your history is fully preserved.
Only use a Google account to which you have full access. When restoring, the system will require authorization in this account.
After the process is completed, make sure that the status indicates the current time and date. This ensures that all recent messages have been successfully uploaded to the server. Now you can safely proceed to uninstalling the application, knowing that your data is safe in the cloud.
Local backup for smartphones without Google services
Owners of new Honor smartphones that do not have pre-installed Google services should use the local backup method. The messenger automatically creates copies of the database every day at 2 am, storing them in internal memory for 7 days. However, to be on the safe side, it is better to create a copy manually right before deleting.
Open the built-in file manager or any other explorer, for example Files. You need to find the directory where the application data is stored. The path usually looks like this: Internal memory/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases. In some versions of Android, the path may be different: Internal memory/WhatsApp/Databases.
In this folder you will find a file with the name view msgstore.db.crypt14. The number at the end indicates the encryption version and may vary. This is your database. Copy this file to any other folder, for example, Download, or immediately transfer it to your computer via a USB cable.
| File type | Default location | Importance | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| msgstore.db.cryptXX | WhatsApp/Databases | Critical | Copy required |
| Media | WhatsApp/Media | High | Copy if necessary |
| Backups | Google Drive | High | Check date |
If you plan to reset the phone to factory settings, copying only to the internal memory will not help - all data will be deleted. In this case, the only salvation will be to transfer the file to an external drive or to a third-party cloud storage, for example, Yandex.Disk or Dropbox.
What to do if the WhatsApp folder is not found?
If you do not see the data folder, the application may have been installed on the memory card or hidden by the system. Try using file search by entering "msgstore" in the search bar. If the file is found, copy it to an accessible location.
The process of uninstalling and clean installing an application
After successfully creating a backup copy, you can begin deleting the old application. Go to Settings your Honor, select section Applications and find WhatsApp in the list. Click on the messenger icon and select the option Delete.
Confirm the action in the dialog box that appears. The system will warn you that all application data will be deleted. Since you have already created a backup, you can ignore this warning. Wait for the uninstallation process to complete.
Now you need to download the latest version of the messenger. For devices with Google services, use the official store Google Play. For smartphones without GMS, download the APK installation file from the official WhatsApp website or through the AppGallery application store, if the current version is available there.
⚠️ Attention: Never download modified versions of the messenger (WhatsApp Plus, GBWhatsApp) from dubious sites. They may contain malicious code and do not guarantee the restoration of your backups.
Install the application by following the on-screen prompts. Allow access to memory, contacts and microphone, since without these permissions the messenger will not be able to function correctly and see your backup files.
Recovering correspondence from the cloud and local files
Run the installed application and enter your phone number. The confirmation code will come in the form of SMS or call. After successful verification, the system will automatically begin searching for available backups. This stage is the most important in the entire procedure.
If you used Google Drive, the messenger will offer to restore chats from the cloud. Click the button Restore. Do not click Skip, otherwise you will lose the opportunity to return the data without reinstalling again. The download process may take time depending on the Internet speed and the size of the archive.
For local recovery on devices without Google services, the situation is a little more complicated. If you have not reset your phone, the application will automatically find the file in the folder Databases. If you transferred the file manually, make sure that it is in the correct directory: Internal memory/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases.
The file name must be strict msgstore.db.cryptXX, where XX is the encryption version number. If you have several copies with dates in the name, rename the one you need, removing the date so that the system recognizes it as the main one for recovery. After that, launch the messenger again.
The recovery system sees only one file named msgstore.db.cryptXX without indicating the date in the name. All other files with dates are ignored as archived.
Possible problems and solutions
Sometimes the recovery process may not go smoothly. The most common problem is a message that the backup was not found. This often happens when using the local method if the file was placed in the wrong folder or has the wrong name.
Check the application's memory permissions. In Android settings, go to the permissions section and make sure WhatsApp is allowed to access all media files. Without this permission, the messenger simply “will not see” the folder with the database, even if it is located where it is needed.
Another difficulty may be the incompatibility of the encryption version. If you are restoring a copy from an old phone to a new one with a different version of Android or the messenger itself, the encryption keys may not be suitable. In such cases, updating the application to the latest version before attempting a recovery helps.
If all else fails, try clearing the application cache before starting the recovery procedure. Go to Settings → Applications → WhatsApp → Memory and click Clear cache. Do not confuse this button with clearing data, otherwise you will delete everything that you managed to recover.
⚠️ Attention: The Android settings interface on different MagicOS shells may differ slightly. If you do not find the item you need, use the settings search by entering the section name.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to restore correspondence if I did not make a backup copy in advance?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to restore deleted chats without first creating a backup copy. Local copies are created automatically only once a day, so you can lose a maximum of data for the last day if the file copy is saved in memory.
What to do if the recovery is stuck at 99%?
This is a common problem with an unstable Internet connection or a large amount of data. Try switching from Wi-Fi to a mobile network or vice versa. If this does not help, cancel the process, restart the phone and try to start the recovery again.
Will my privacy settings and groups be transferred?
Yes, when restoring from a full backup, not only messages are returned, but also privacy settings, the list of groups and pinned chats. However, notification settings and chat wallpapers may be reset to standard.
Is it safe to use third-party recovery apps?
We do not recommend using third-party software to recover WhatsApp data. Such apps often require root access, which violates Honor's warranty, and can steal your personal data. Use only official methods.