Messenger users WhatsApp often face a situation where important correspondence disappears from the general list of chats. This usually happens due to an accidental swipe or click on the Archive button. Unlike deletion, archiving does not permanently erase data, but only hides it to organize the interface. However, if the message was deleted or the archive was damaged, the recovery process becomes more difficult.
In this article we will look at all the possible ways to retrieve a message from the archive or restore lost correspondence on a smartphone running Android. We will look at both the standard functions of the application and methods of working with local database backups that are stored in the device’s memory. Understanding the structure of data storage will help you avoid losing information in the future.
It is worth noting right away that restoring deleted messages without a prior backup is almost impossible using standard means. If you just archived a chat, you can return it to the general list in a couple of seconds. If the database files are damaged or deleted, deeper manipulations with the phone’s file system will be required.
Normal recovery from the “Archive” folder
The simplest scenario is that the message is located in a special “Archive” section, where it ended up due to user error. In modern versions WhatsApp This section is pinned at the top of the chat list or hidden at the very bottom, depending on the interface settings. To check for archived conversations, just scroll to the bottom of the list of conversations or look at the top of the screen.
If you find the desired chat in the archive, the process of returning it is simple. You need to long press (tap) on the contact name or group name. In the action menu that appears, select the box icon with an up arrow or the “Extract from archive” option. After this, the dialog will instantly return to the main list in chronological order.
Sometimes users do not see the “Archive” folder due to a failure to display the interface. In this case, it is recommended to check your chat display settings. Go to the application menu, select Settings, then go to the Chatsection. Make sure that the “Archive chats” option is not blocked by system restrictions or power saving modes, which may hide interface elements.
- 📂 Check the top of the list of chats - the “Archive” folder is often pinned there.
- ⬇️ Scroll the list of conversations to the very bottom if the folder is not pinned at the top.
- 🖱️ Long press on a chat to bring up the extract context menu.
Turn on the “Keep in archive” function in settings if you do not want archived chats to automatically appear in the general list when new messages are received.
Restoring from a local backup
If a message has been deleted or the archive is damaged, the only chance for recovery is a local backup. The messenger WhatsApp by default creates copies of the database msgstore.db daily at 2 am. These files are stored in the device's internal memory for 7 days. To return the message, you need to replace the current database with a file from the past.
First you need to find a file manager on your smartphone. A standard explorer or third-party applications like Files by Google or Total Commander. You will need to follow the path Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases on new versions of Android or WhatsApp/Databases on old ones. Here you will see files with names like msgstore-2023-10-25.1.db.crypt14, where the numbers indicate the creation date.
Before starting the procedure, it is critical to create a backup copy of the current database, even if it appears empty or damaged. Rename the current file msgstore.db.crypt14 (or another encryption version) to msgstore.db.crypt14.CURRENT. This will allow you to roll back the changes if the restore fails. Then select the file with the desired date, rename it, removing the date from the name, so that it remains simple msgstore.db.crypt14.
⚠️ Attention: When restoring from a local copy, all messages received between the date the backup was created and the current moment will be irretrievably lost. You will roll back the chat state back in time.
After renaming the files, you must delete the application WhatsApp from the device and install it again from the store Google Play. When you first launch the messenger, it will detect a local backup and offer to restore the data. Agree with the offer, and after the process is completed, your old messages should appear in the chat list.
☑️ Preparing to restore the database
Working with database files and encryption
An important aspect of recovery is the database encryption version data. Backup files have an extension .crypt with a numerical suffix (for example, .crypt12, .crypt14, .crypt15). This suffix indicates the encryption algorithm that is tied to the specific version of the application and your account security key.
You can't just take a database file from another phone or account and paste it into your folder. The decryption key is stored in the system partition Android and is unique for each installation. An attempt to replace the database with a file from another user will result in an error when restoring or creating an empty chat.
If you see files with different encryption extensions in the folder Databases (for example, after updating the application), use the file that corresponds to the current version WhatsApp. This is usually the most recent file or the file with the highest encryption version number compatible with your current installation.
| File Type | Extension | Description | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current database | msgstore.db.cryptXX | Current correspondence | Rename to .CURRENT |
| Backup copy | msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.cryptXX | Archive copy for a specific date | Rename to msgstore.db.cryptXX |
| Encryption key | key (in the files folder) | System decryption key | Do not touch, do not transfer |
| Media files | .jpg, .mp4 in the Media folder | Photos and videos from correspondence | Copied automatically |
What to do if the encryption numbers do not match?
If the encryption version number in the backup file name differs from the current one (for example, you have crypt15, and the backup is crypt14), recovery may not work. In this case, try updating WhatsApp to the latest version or, conversely, installing the version corresponding to the backup, although the second option is less secure.
Using Google Drive to return data
An alternative to local files is cloud storage Google Drive. Many users set up automatic backups to the cloud, which simplifies the recovery process when changing devices or failures. To check the availability of a copy, go to the settings of the messenger itself: Settings → Chats → Chat backup.
This section displays the date and time of the last save on Google Drive. If the desired message was in the correspondence before this date, you can restore it. To do this, uninstall the application, install it again, and during the initial setup, agree to restore from the cloud. The system will automatically download and decrypt the database.
There is a caveat: recovery from Google Drive is impossible if you change your phone number or use a different Google account than the one to which the copy was made. It is also worth considering that cloud copies do not always contain media files unless the corresponding option has been activated in the settings.
⚠️ Attention: When restoring from Google Drive, local backups in the internal memory may be overwritten or ignored. Make sure that the cloud copy is newer than the local one if you want to get the most recent data.
Solving problems with display and synchronization
Sometimes the message does not physically disappear, but simply stops being displayed due to synchronization or application cache errors. In such cases, radical methods with reinstallation are not required. It is enough to clear the messenger cache through the system settings Android. This will not delete your correspondence, but will force the application to re-read the database again.
To do this, go to Phone settings → Applications → WhatsApp → Storage and press the Clear cache. Do not confuse this button with the “Clear data” option, which will delete all correspondence history. After clearing the cache, restart your smartphone and check the list of chats.
If the problem is related to a specific media file that is not downloaded from the archive, check the availability of free space on the device. If there is insufficient memory WhatsApp may block the loading of attachments or the display of old messages. Freeing up a few gigabytes often solves the problem of broken chats.
- 🔄 Reboot your smartphone to update system indexing processes.
- 🗑️ Clear the application cache, but not the user data.
- 💾 Check the free space in the internal memory phone.
Clearing the cache is a safe procedure that often solves problems with “stuck” messages without the risk of data loss, unlike data clearing.
Preventing the loss of important messages
In order not to wonder in the future how to get a message out of the archive or restore deleted correspondence, you should set up an automatic backup copying. It's a good idea to set your copy frequency to "Daily" and make sure you include videos and photos if those are important to you.
It's also a good idea to periodically export important conversations to a text file. This function allows you to send your correspondence history by email or save it in a cloud storage in a readable form. To do this, open the chat, click on the menu (three dots) and select More → Export chat.
Using the “Pin Chat” function will help avoid accidentally archiving important conversations. Pinned messages are always at the top of the list and are protected from being accidentally swiped into the archive when clearing the chat list. This is a simple but effective precaution.
ℹ️ Primechanie: The interface and location of settings may vary slightly depending on the version of Android and the shell of your smartphone manufacturer (Samsung, Xiaomi, Pixel). Always check the current menu of your device.
Nastroyte rezervnoe kopirovanie na Google Disk v moment podklyucheniya k Wi-Fi, chtoby ne raskhodovat mobilnyy trafik i ne preryvat protsess iz-za nestabilnoy seti.
Chasto zadavaemye voprosy (FAQ)
Mozhno li vosstanovit soobshchenie, esli I deleted the application a week ago?
Yes, if you have a local backup copy of seven days ago in the folder Databases. Files are stored for exactly 7 days. Esli proshlo bolshe vremeni, lokalnye kopii budut perezapisany, i vosstanovlenie stanet nevozmozhnym bez oblachnoy rezervnoy kopii.
Ischeznet li soobshchenie iz arkhiva, esli ya smenyu telefon?
Net, pri uslovii, chto vy vosstanovite rezervnuyu kopiyu na novom ustroystve. Archived chats are migrated along with the main database. After restoring to a new phone, you will need to go to the “Archive” section and extract them manually if they do not appear on their own.
Why does the backup file have such a long name?
The long name contains the creation date (YYYY-MM-DD) and time, as well as the encryption version number. This is necessary so that the user can accurately identify for what date the copy was saved and select the one needed for restoration.
Is it possible to read an archived message without extracting the chat?
Yes, you can simply click on the archived chat in the “Archive” folder and read the correspondence, send new messages. The chat will not return to the main list until you explicitly select the "Extract" option, unless the settings have enabled automatic return for new messages.
What if the msgstore.db.crypt file is damaged?
If the main file is damaged, try renaming one of the date files (for example, msgstore-2023-10-20.1.db.crypt14) in msgstore.db.crypt14. This will allow you to download a backup copy from the previous day instead of the damaged current version.