Finding the location where it is stored Whatsapp backupbecomes critically important at the moment when you need to restore access to correspondence after reinstalling the application or changing the smartphone. Device users Samsung often encounter confusion, since the structure of file systems in Android has changed with the release of new versions of the operating system. Understanding the logic of data storage will allow you not to lose important dialogues and media files.
In modern versions of Android, starting with the eleventh, Google has changed the file system access policy to improve security. This also affected instant messengers, which are now required to store data in more hidden directories. If you are looking for old paths, you may simply not find the necessary files, which gives the false impression of their absence.
In this article we will analyze in detail the current paths to chat archives, explain the difference between local storage and the cloud, and also consider the nuances of the file system on smartphones Samsung Galaxy. You will learn to manage your data yourself, without blindly relying on automatic processes.
Changes in the Android file system and data paths
For a long time, the directory was considered the standard path for application data /sdcard/WhatsApp/. However, with the introduction of Scoped Storage in Android 11 and higher, many applications, including the Meta messenger, were forced to move their working folders to the system partition /Android/media/. This is done in order to isolate application data from random access by other apps and the user.
On devices Samsung with the One UI shell, these changes are also relevant. If you are using a relatively new model released in the last couple of years, you should start your search in the Android system folder. The old path may either be missing or empty if the application has already been updated to a version that supports the new standards.
⚠️ Attention: When manually moving backup files between folders, make sure that the file names match the format
msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt14. Changing the name or extension may make the file unreadable for the application.
It is important to understand that local backups are created automatically every day at 2 a.m. if the phone is turned on and connected to Wi-Fi at that moment. These files are stored on the internal drive and take up space, so periodically clearing them or moving them to your computer is a good practice to free up space.
Use Samsung's built-in My Files file manager, as it has enhanced access rights to system folders compared to third-party file explorers.
Current path to local files on Samsung
To find the current data storage on a modern smartphone Samsung, you will need to open the file manager. The standard application is called My files. After launch, go to the “Internal memory” or “Internal storage” section. Further navigation will depend on the version of Android and the WhatsApp application itself.
The most likely path for new versions of the system is as follows: Internal memory → Android → media → com.whatsapp → WhatsApp → Databases. It is in the folder Databases that there are files with the extension .db.cryptcontaining an encrypted correspondence history.
- 📂 Open the My Files application on the main screen or menu.
- 📂 Go to the device storage and find the folder
Android. - 📂 Sequentially open
media, thencom.whatsapp. - 📂 Inside, find the folder
Databases—this is the location you are looking for.
If for some reason the folder com.whatsapp inside media is missing, check the root of the internal memory. On some models Samsung with earlier versions of One UI or when using older versions of the messenger, the path may remain classic: Internal memory → WhatsApp → Databases.
Differences between local storage and Google Drive
Users often confuse local files on the phone and cloud copies. Local copy is a physical file located in the memory of your device. It takes up space and is accessible even without the Internet. Google Drive is a cloud storage where WhatsApp can download a compressed version of your chats for security in case you lose your phone.
Files in Google Drive are not visible through the file manager in normal mode. They are hidden in the service section of the Drive application and are not intended for direct editing or viewing by the user. Their only purpose is recovery when reinstalling WhatsApp on a new device or after resetting the settings.
| Characteristics | Local copy (File) | Google Drive (Cloud) |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Phone memory (SD card) | Google Servers |
| Access | Via file manager | Only through the WhatsApp application |
| Dependency | Does not require Internet to create | Requires Wi-Fi or mobile data |
| Media files | Take up space on disk | Does not take up Google Drive quota (since 2026) |
It is important to note that restoring from a local copy is often faster and allows you to select a specific date if you saved multiple files manually. Cloud recovery always restores the last successful download, created automatically.
How to check the existence and date of the last copy
Before attempting to restore data, you need to make sure that a current copy actually exists. The WhatsApp application on your phone Samsung has a built-in tool for checking the status of your reservation. This is the most reliable way to find out when the data was last saved.
To check, go to the messenger settings: click on the three dots in the upper right corner, select Settings, then Chats and Chat backup. This section displays the time of the last copy in Google Account and the file size.
Here you can also see whether end-to-end encryption is used for backups. If this feature is enabled, chats can only be recovered by knowing the password or using the 64-digit key that you should have saved previously. Without this key, the data cannot be restored even by technical specialists.
What to do if the time of the last backup is old?
If the date of the last backup in the settings is old, try clicking the “Create a backup” button manually. Make sure that the phone is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network and does not go into power saving mode during the process.
Recovering correspondence from a local file
Situations when manual restoration is required arise often: for example, when automatic synchronization fails or you want to roll back to the version of chats from a week ago. To do this, you will need a file manager and access to the folder Databases, which was mentioned above.
The algorithm of actions requires care. You need to rename the current file msgstore.db.cryptXX (adding the word _oldto it), and rename the file with the desired date that you want to restore to msgstore.db.cryptXX, removing the date from the name. It is important to keep the file extension (encryption version number) unchanged.
⚠️ Note: Interfaces and paths may vary slightly depending on the version of One UI and your Samsung model. Always check the manufacturer's up-to-date help materials if the standard paths do not work.
After renaming the files, you must completely uninstall and reinstall the WhatsApp application. At the first start, after confirming the phone number, the system will detect a local file and offer to restore the message history from it, and not from the cloud.
☑️ Checklist before recovery
Problems with accessing the Android folder on new versions
Smartphone owners Samsungupdated to Android 13 and higher may encounter that the folder Android seems empty or access to it is limited even for system applications. This is an OS security mechanism that hides the contents of system directories from third-party file managers.
Standard File Explorer My files usually has the necessary permissions, but if you use third-party software (for example, Total Commander or Files by Google), you may need to give special permission to access the Android folder the first time you open it. The system will issue a request that must be confirmed.
If there is no access at all, you can use a connection to a computer via a USB cable. In file transfer mode (MTP), the restrictions are often less strict, and you can copy the database files you need to your PC, and then transfer them to the desired location on the new phone.
Local backup files are stored for 7 days. WhatsApp automatically creates a new copy daily, replacing the oldest one, so files older than a week can be deleted by the system automatically.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to restore chats without a Google Account?
Yes, it is possible if you have a local backup file in your phone's memory. When installing WhatsApp, choose to restore from a local copy when the app prompts you to choose a source. However, without being linked to Google Drive, you risk losing data if your phone breaks down.
Where is the WhatsApp backup stored on an SD memory card?
On modern versions of Android and new versions of WhatsApp, support for SD memory cards for storing backups has been removed. All data is now stored only in the internal memory of the device in the folder Android/media/com.whatsapp. Old copies may remain on the SD card if you have not deleted them before, but new ones will not be written there.
Why does WhatsApp not see the backup copy after reinstallation?
Most often the problem is in the Google account. Make sure you are logged into the same Google account that you used to download. Also check if backup encryption is enabled: if you forget the password or 64-digit key, it will be impossible to restore the encrypted backup.
How much space does a backup take on Samsung?
The size depends on the number of messages and media file settings. Text messages take up kilobytes, but if photo and video downloading is enabled, the size can reach several gigabytes. In Google Drive, media files may not be counted in the quota, but they take up full space on the phone’s internal memory.