How to read deleted messages on WhatsApp on Android: a complete guide 2026

Deleted messages in WhatsApp are one of the most painful topics for users. An accidental click on “Delete for everyone”, a synchronization failure or the malicious intent of the interlocutor - and important correspondence disappears without a trace. But all is not lost: on Androiddevices there are several ways to restore deleted chats, even if they were erased a long time ago. In this article, we will analyze legitimate methods (through backups and built-in functions) and risky workarounds (using third-party tools), and also explain why some "magic" apps from Play Market are a waste of time.

It is important to understand: the success of recovery depends on three factors: automatic backup settings in your account, time elapsed since deletion, and phone model. For example, on devices with a proprietary shell, the chances are higher thanks to the integrated cloud, and on devices with a “pure” cloud (for example, or it all depends Samsung with branded shell One UI the chances are higher thanks to the integrated cloud Samsung Cloud, and on "clean" Android (For example, Pixel or Motorola) it all depends on Google Drive. It also plays a role whether you deleted messages only from yourself or used the “Delete for everyone” function - in the second case, recovery is almost impossible without specialized tools.

Before moving on to the instructions, we will answer the main question: Is it possible to read deleted messages on WhatsApp 100%? No. Even the most advanced utilities do not guarantee success, especially if more than 7 days have passed since deletion. However, in 60–70% of cases (according to analysis of forums XDA Developers and Reddit) users manage to return at least part of the correspondence. Below are proven methods from the most reliable to the most risky.

1. Restoring via Google Drive backup

The most reliable and official way is to use automatic backupwhich WhatsApp creates in Google Drive. This method works if:

• 🔹 You previously enabled backup in the messenger settings.
• 🔹 The deletion occurred no more than 7 days ago (for daily copies) or no more than a week/month (if weekly/monthly is configured archiving).
• 🔹 You use the same account Google and phone as when creating a copy.

To restore messages:

1. Delete WhatsApp from the phone (do not forget to first save the media files from the folder /WhatsApp/Mediaif they are important).
2. Reinstall the application from Play Market.
3. When you first start, enter the same phone number that was used previously.
4. When the system prompts you to restore chats from Google Drive, confirm the action.

The process can take from several minutes to an hour depending on the size of the archive. If a copy is not found, check:

• 📌 Connection to the same network Wi-Fithat was used for the backup (sometimes copies are not displayed in mobile data).
• 📌 Availability of free space in Google Drive (if the space runs out, new copies are not available are being created).
• 📌 Date of the last copy in the settings WhatsApp (⋮ → Settings → Chat → Backup).

2. Local recovery from phone files

If the backup copy in Google Drive is missing or outdated, you can try to extract data from local backupwhich WhatsApp creates daily at 2:00 local time. These files are stored in the folder /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases and have the extension .crypt14 (or .crypt12 for older versions).

Action algorithm:

1. Connect the phone to PC via USB (in file transfer mode) or use a file manager (for example, Solid Explorer).
2. Go to the folder /WhatsApp/Databases and find a file with the name msgstore.db.crypt14 (or similar). The most recent file is the one without a date in the name (for example, msgstore.db.crypt14). Files with dates (for example msgstore-2026-05-15.db.crypt14) are older copies.
3. Copy the desired file to your PC and rename it to msgstore.db.crypt14 (if there was a date in the name).
4. Delete WhatsApp from the phone, then install it again.
5. When prompted to restore, select the "Restore from local copy" option.

If this method did not work, the file may be damaged or encrypted with a new key (since 2021 WhatsApp the protection of local backups has been tightened). In this case, the utility will help WhatsApp Key/DB Extractor (requires root access):

Download WhatsApp Key/DB Extractor s GitHub|Enable USB debugging in the developer settings|Connect the phone to the PC and allow access|Run the utility via the command line

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What to do if there is no msgstore.db file?

If the folder /WhatsApp/Databases is empty, check:

- Have you disabled automatic backup in the settings WhatsApp.

- Have you cleared the cache or application data through Settings → Applications.

- Have you used "garbage cleaning" apps (for example, CCleaner or SD Maid) that could delete backups.

3. Using specialized apps (with risks)

If standard methods do not help, some users resort to third-party utilities like Dr.Fone, iMobie PhoneRescue or Tenorshare UltDataThese apps scan the phone's memory for leftovers. deleted data and can recover some messages. However, this method has serious disadvantages:

• 🚨 Low efficiency: most utilities find only fragments of correspondence (for example, text without attachments or dates without authors).
• 🚨 Risk of data leakage: some apps (especially free) send scanned information to their servers.
• 🚨 Root access requiredwhich voids the warranty and increases the vulnerability of the device.

If you still decide to try, follow the instructions for Dr.Fone (one of the most popular utilities):

1. Download and install Dr.Fone for Android on PC (official website - drfone.wondershare.com).
2. Connect the phone to the computer via USB and enable debugging mode (Settings → About phone → Build number (7 taps) → Developer settings → USB debugging).
3. In the app, select the section Data recovery → WhatsApp.
4. Follow the wizard's instructions (confirmation may be required root access).
5. After scanning, select messages to recover and export them c .html or .txt.

License cost Dr.Fone —from $50 (for 1 device). The free version shows the found data, but does not allow you to save it. Alternatives:

app	Price	Does root required?	Whatsapp support
Dr.Fone	from 50$	Yes	Yes (partially)
iMobie PhoneRescue	from 40$	No (limited)	Yes
Tenorshare UltData	from 55$	Yes	Yes (with media extraction)
EaseUS MobiSaver	from 35$	No	Message text only

4. Recovering via Android notifications (new messages only)

If the message was recently deleted (within the last 24 hours), its text may have been saved in notification log Android. This method only works for messages that came after deleted (for example, if the other person sent a message and then erased it via "Delete for everyone").

To view notification history:

1. Install the application Notification History Log (or similar) from Play Market.
2. Open the application and grant access to notifications (Settings → Applications → Special access → Notification log).
3. Find notifications in the list from WhatsApp and check their contents.

Method limitations:

• 📵 Works only for messages that arrived after enable the notification log (it is disabled by default).
• 📵 Shows only text (without attachments, reactions or "read" status).
• 📵 On some firmware (for example, MIUI from Xiaomi) the notification log is cleared automatically.

5. Exploiting WhatsApp vulnerabilities (for the technically savvy)

In rare cases, deleted messages can be retrieved through undocumented functions WhatsApp or vulnerabilities in the encryption protocol. For example, until 2021, there was a bug that allowed you to recover messages through adb logcat (system log). events). This method does not work currently, but there are other workarounds:

Method 1: Extract via SQLite database

If you have root-accessyou can manually scan the database WhatsApp for deleted records:

adb shell
su
cd /data/data/com.whatsapp/databases
sqlite3 msgstore.db
SELECT * FROM messages WHERE key_remote_jid LIKE '%PHONE_NUMBER%';

Replace PHONE_NUMBER to the interlocutor's number in international format (for example, 79123456789). This method requires knowledge SQL and can lead to database corruption with incorrect queries.

Method 2: Analyzing network traffic

Messages deleted through "Delete for everyone" are actually not disappear from servers WhatsApp instantly - they are marked as deleted and gradually cleared. Theoretically, they can be intercepted via sniffer (for example, Wireshark), but for this you need:

• 🔌 Have access to the same network in which the correspondence took place.
• 🔌 Know IP address servers WhatsApp (they change frequently).
• 🔌 Be able to decrypt protected traffic Signal Protocol (which is almost impossible without encryption keys).

Why doesn't the Wireshark method work for most users?

Since 2016 WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption, in which messages are encrypted on the sender's device and decrypted only on the recipient's device. Even if you intercept data packets, without the private key their contents will not be accessible.

6. Contacting WhatsApp support: myths and reality

Many users believe that support WhatsApp can recover deleted messages upon request. This myth: the company does not store chat content on its servers after delivery (with the exception of undelivered messages, which are stored for up to 30 days). However, in some cases, support can help:

• 📩 If the message was not delivered due to a network failure, you can request it again.
• 📩 If the account was blocked by mistake, support can restore access to chats (but not deleted messages).
• 📩 If you have lost access to the phone number, but you have a backup copy, support will help transfer your account to a new number.

To contact support:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to ⋮ → Settings → Help → Contact us.
2. Describe the problem (indicate that the messages were deleted by mistake).
3. Attach screenshots (if there is evidence, for example, a notice of deletion).

Usually a response comes within 24-48 hours. The chances of restoring messages are minimal, but support can give advice on setting up a backup for the future.

7. How to protect messages from accidental deletion in the future

To avoid losing important messages, follow these recommendations:

• 🔒 Set up automatic backup v Google Drive (Settings → Chat → Backup). The optimal frequency is daily (if storage limits allow).
• 🔒 Export important chats manually: open the conversation → ⋮ → Export chat (can be saved with or without media files).
• 🔒 Use alternative messengers with advanced archiving features (for example Telegram with cloud storage or Signal with encrypted backups).
• 🔒 Disable the "Delete for everyone" function in a group chat (if you are an admin): Group settings → Permissions → Deleting messages.

Also useful to know:

• 📌 Messages deleted through "Delete for everyone" disappear y all chat participants, but only if they use the latest version WhatsApp.
• 📌 If the interlocutor turned off the Internet at the time of deletion, the message will remain in his chat until he connects to the network.
• 📌 V WhatsApp Business there is a function archiving chatsthat saves correspondence even after deleting the account.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about message recovery

Is it possible to recover messages deleted more than a year ago?

Theoretically, yes, but only if you have local backup on your phone or in Google Drive for this period. In practice, the chances are minimal: WhatsApp stores only the latest copy, and the old ones are overwritten. If you did not save backups manually, recovery is impossible.

Is it true that apps like WhatsDeleted show deleted messages?

Applications like WhatsDeleted or Notification History track notificationsand not the database itself WhatsApp. They will show the text of the message only if:

1. The message arrived after installation of the app.
2. You did not clear the notification log.
3. The message was deleted after before it appeared in the notification.

For messages deleted before installing such apps, they are useless.

What to do if the Google Drive backup is not restored?

Problems with restoring from Google Drive are most often related with:

• 🔹 Mismatch of accounts: the copy is linked to another Google account.
• 🔹 Lack of space: on the disk or on the phone.
• 🔹 Outdated version of WhatsApp: update the application to the latest version.
• 🔹 File corruption: try downloading a copy manually via drive.google.com (section "Backups").

If all else fails, try restoring a copy on another device with the same phone number.

Is it possible to restore messages if the phone is broken or lost?

Yes, but only if:

• 📱 You had it turned on backup to Google Drive.
• 📱 Do you remember phone number i Google account password.
• 📱 You have you have access to SIM card (or you can restore the number from the operator).

Install WhatsApp on a new device, enter the same number and restore data from Google Drive. If the phone is lost, but not broken, you can try to extract a local copy via ADB (provided that the device is connected to the same Wi-Fi and you have access to its IP).

Are there legal ways to read other people's deleted messages?

No. WhatsApp does not provide such capabilities for privacy reasons. Any offers to “hack” or “read someone else’s chat” are either fraud or spyware (which, by the way, are prohibited by law in most countries).

Exception - parental control with the consent of the device owner (for example, through Google Family Link or specialized applications like mSpy, but their use without consent is illegal).