Accidentally deleting correspondence in WhatsApp is a common problem that can cause serious stress, especially if the chats contained important work or personal information. Smartphone owners Samsung Galaxy A50 often encounter a situation where clearing memory or inattentively touching leads to loss of dialogues. Fortunately, the architecture of the messenger provides several levels of data protection that allow you to return text, photos and videos.
The recovery process on devices Android is based on the presence of backup copies, which can be stored both in cloud storage Google Driveand in the internal memory of the device itself. Understanding exactly where your data is stored is key to success. In this article, we will analyze in detail all available methods, from standard functions to working with system files, adapted specifically to the shell One UI on your phone.
Before taking active steps, you need to learn one golden rule: never create new backups over old ones if you plan to restore data. Current synchronization maybe forever overwrite the same saving copy that contained the deleted messages. Act consistently and carefully study each step.
Principles of backup on Android
The mechanism for saving correspondence history to WhatsApp based Android is quite flexible, but requires proper configuration. By default, the system tries to create daily backups in Google Drivelinked to your account. However, this process depends on many factors: the availability of Wi-Fi, battery level and free disk space.
It is important to understand the difference between cloud and local storage. Cloud storage it is convenient because the data will not be lost even if the phone is physically broken, but to restore it you will need a stable Internet and the same phone number. Local copies are stored directly in memory Samsung A50 and are updated every night, usually at 3 a.m. if the phone was unlocked.
⚠️ Attention: If you deleted a chat and immediately after that created a new backup copy manually, then you will not be able to restore the deleted message using standard methods. The old copy will be overwritten.
On devices Samsung with an operating system Android 9 and higher (and A50 received updates to newer versions), the paths to the files may change depending on the OS version. In newer versions Android folders with messenger data have moved to the system directory, which makes them less accessible to the average user without special file managers.
Recovery from Google Drive cloud
The simplest and most common way to recover lost dialogs is to use a cloud backup. This method is ideal if you changed your phone, reinstalled the operating system, or simply deleted an application by mistake. The main condition is that you must remember the password for your Google account Google account.
First, you need to completely remove the application from your device. Don't be afraid, your data will remain on the servers WhatsApp from device Samsung A50. Don't be afraid, your data will remain on the servers Googleif synchronization was previously enabled. After deleting, re-download the messenger from the official store Google Play Market and install it.
When you first launch the app, you will be asked to confirm the phone number The number must be identical the one for which the backup was created. After entering the confirmation code from SMS, the system will automatically detect the presence of a backup in Google Drive and offer to restore the history of chats and media files.
- 📱 Make sure that the same Google account that was used for backup. Samsung A50 added the same Google account that was used for backup.
- 📶 Connect the device to a stable Wi-Fi network, as the amount of data can be significant.
- 🔋 Leave the phone connected to the charger so that the battery does not run out at the critical moment of loading.
- ⏳ Do not interrupt the recovery process, even if it seems to be stuck - large archives may take a long time to load.
It is worth noting that recovery from the cloud does not always include status history or some file types if they were not selected in the backup settings. In addition, messages sent or received since the last cloud copy was created will be lost during the rollback process.
Check the date of the last backup in WhatsApp settings (Section Chats -> Chats Backup) BEFORE deleting the application to make sure that the necessary data is there.
Using local copies on Samsung A50
If there is no cloud backup or it is too old, local copies come to the rescue. In smartphones Samsung these files are created automatically every night. They are stored in the device's memory and allow you to roll back the state of chats to a specific date in the past, usually up to 7 days ago.
To use this method, you will need a file manager. The Samsung A50 application is preinstalled My files, but for deeper work with system folders it is better to install Files by Google or Total Commander. The path to the files may differ depending on the version Android.
Find the backup folder. In older versions Android it is located on the path /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases. In new versions (starting from Android 11 on many devices) the path has changed to /sdcard/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases. Look for files with names like msgstore-2023-10-25.1.db.crypt14, where the numbers indicate the date.
Path 1 (old): /Internal memory/WhatsApp/Databases
Path 2 (new): /Internal memory/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases
The action algorithm is as follows: rename the current file msgstore.db.cryptXX (add .old to the name) so as not to lose it. Then select the file with the desired date that you want to recover and rename it to msgstore.db.cryptXX (removing the date from the name, but leaving the encryption version). After that, uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.
☑️ Checklist for preparing a local backup
Working with the file system and encryption versions
A critically important point when working with local copies is the encryption version. Database files WhatsApp are protected, and the file name always contains the encryption protocol version number, for example, crypt14, crypt15 or crypt16. Impossible simply rename the file by changing the encryption version number - the application will not be able to read it.
When renaming a file for recovery, make sure that the file extension (the number after the word crypt) matches the one used in the current version of the messenger installed on your Samsung A50. If you take the file crypt12 and name it crypt14, the recovery will not occur, or the database will be damaged.
| Parameter | Description | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| File name | Must be strict msgstore.db.cryptXX |
Critical |
| Crypt version | Must correspond to the current software version | High |
| File date | Indicates the time the copy was created | Medium |
| Location | Databases folder in internal storage | High |
If you are not sure which version of encryption is currently in use, look at the name of the file msgstore.db.cryptXXthat is already in the folder (if it is there) or create a new backup manually to see the current name, and then cancel the action. You can also find information on the Internet by searching for “current WhatsApp encryption version,” but it is more reliable to look in files.
What to do if the crypt files do not match?
If you have a file with a date, but an old encryption version (for example, crypt12), and the current one requires crypt14, you cannot restore it directly. You will need to find the version of WhatsApp that corresponds to the period in which the file was created, install it, restore the data, and then update. This is a complex path that requires searching for old APK files.
Recovering individual media files through the gallery
Often users need to recover not the text of the correspondence, but specific photos or videos that were deleted from the chat. In this case, completely reinstalling the application may be unnecessary. Smartphones Samsung have a built-in function Trash in the gallery, where deleted files are stored for 30 days.
Open the application Gallery and go to the section Albums. At the very bottom of the list, find the folder Trash. If you deleted media files recently, they may be there. Select the required elements and press the Restorebutton. After that, they will automatically appear in the corresponding chats WhatsApp.
It is also worth checking hidden folders in the file manager. Sometimes media files are deleted from the messenger database, but physically remain in memory. Go to the folder /sdcard/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images (or WhatsApp Video). There may be a folder Sent (sent) or Private. Turn on the display of hidden files in the Explorer settings to see all the contents.
- 🖼️ Check not only the main gallery, but also the folder Google Photosif you have synchronization enabled.
- 🗑️ Files in the Samsung recycle bin are stored for exactly 30 days, after which they are deleted irrevocably.
- 📂 Media files can be duplicated in different folders, check all sections WhatsApp Media.
If a file has been deleted from the recycle bin, it is almost impossible to restore it using standard Android tools without using specialized software for deep memory scan, which requires root access. However, for Samsung A50 obtaining superuser rights may lead to loss of warranty and reset of security settings Knox.
⚠️ Attention: When you restore the system or reset to factory settings, the "Trash" folder in the gallery is completely cleared. Make sure that you save important photos before radical actions with your phone.
Local copies are stored for only 7 days, so to restore old correspondence, it is critical to have an up-to-date backup in Google Drive.
What you should absolutely not do when restoring
When trying to recover data, users often make mistakes that restore impossible. The main mistake is panic and chaotic actions. Before you do anything, stop and analyze the situation. If you have just deleted a chat, immediately turn off the Internet on your phone, to prevent automatic synchronization and overwriting of the backup.
Do not install dubious apps from unverified sources that promise “magic recovery” of any data. Most often, such applications are spyware viruses that steal your passwords and bank card data. WhatsApp has a closed database architecture, and it can only be read by a key that is stored in the system.
Do not try to manually edit database files .db or .crypt using text editors. This will damage the file structure, and even if there is a correct copy, the messenger will not be able to read it. Any manipulations with files should only consist of renaming or moving them.
Prevention of data loss in the future
In order not to encounter the problem of losing messages in Samsung A50 in the future, you need to configure automatic backup correctly. Go to settings WhatsApp, select item Chat and then Chat backup. Set the backup frequency to "Daily" and make sure that the correct account is selected Google.
It is also recommended to periodically check for backup files in the phone memory. Once a month, go to the file manager and make sure that files with current dates appear in the Databases folder. This will give you confidence that the backup mechanism is working properly.
Use the function Google One to manage cloud storage. Often the disk space runs out just at the moment of creating a backup, and the process is interrupted. Keep an eye on the free space in the cloud, because WhatsApp does not take up space in the Google Drive quota only under certain conditions that may change.
Why don't you receive a backup notification?
Often the reason lies in Samsung's energy saving settings. Go to Settings -> Device Maintenance -> Battery -> Background Limits and make sure that WhatsApp is not limited in background activity.
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I restore messages if I did not make a backup?
Unfortunately, if you do not have a cloud copy on Google Drive, nor a local file in the Databases folder, it is impossible to restore correspondence using standard means. Data in WhatsApp is encrypted, and without a database file there is no place to get it.
How many days are local backups stored on Samsung A50?
Messenger stores local backups for the last 7 days. Every day a new file is created, and the oldest (eighth in a row) is deleted. Therefore, you cannot delay restoration.
Will new messages be lost when the old copy is restored?
Yes, this is inevitable. When you restore from a backup, all messages received after the date the backup was created will be deleted. You are rolling back the state of the phone to the past.
Does changing the phone number affect the restoration?
Yes, it does. To recover from Google Drive, the phone number must match. To restore from a local file, the number is not so important, but it is better to carry out the procedure on the same number so as not to disrupt the account linking.
Is it safe to use third-party recovery apps?
Using third-party software carries risks. You are giving access to your data to an unknown developer. The official method through files and Google Drive is the only guaranteed safe method.