Deleting important messages in WhatsApp is a situation familiar to many. Most often this happens by accident: an awkward touch, clearing the chat “automatically” or resetting the phone settings. Fortunately, owners of Androiddevices have several ways to return lost dialogs - from standard backups to advanced tools like ADB or third-party utilities. But the effectiveness of each method depends on whether when the messages were deleted was enabled synchronization c Google Driveand have you reinstalled the application after the incident.

In this article we will analyze all current ways to recover SMS from WhatsApp on Android in 2026including little-known nuances. For example, why a Google Drive backup can “disappear” after 15 days, how to bypass the limitations of free versions of recovery apps, and what to do if you have already reinstalled the messenger. Let us separately highlight risks: some methods require root access or may lead to loss of warranty on the device.

We warn you right away: the sooner you start acting, the higher the chances of success. If more than a week has passed since deletion, some methods will become unavailable.

1. Restoring via local WhatsApp backup

WhatsApp automatically creates local backups messages every day at 2:00 am (if the phone is connected to charging and Wi-Fi). These files are stored in the device memory along the path:

/sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/msgstore.db.crypt14

If you did not reinstall messenger after deleting messages, the chances of recovery through a local backup are maximum. Here's how it works:

  • 📱 Open any file manager (for example, Files by Google or Total Commander) and go to the folder WhatsApp/Databases.
  • 🔍 Find files with the name msgstore.db.crypt14 (current backup) and msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt14 (archive copies). The date in the file name is the day the backup was created.
  • 🔄 Rename msgstore.db.crypt14 to msgstore_latest.db.crypt14, and the desired archive file to msgstore.db.crypt14.
  • 📲 Uninstall WhatsApp, then install it again from Google Play.
  • 🔑 When you launch it for the first time, the messenger will offer to restore chats from a local copy - confirm the action.
⚠️ Attention: If you have already reinstalled WhatsApp after deleting messages, the local backup may have been overwritten by a new (empty) file. In this case, the method will not work.

Do not delete the WhatsApp folder from the phone|Do not create new chats after the incident|Use the original phone number|Check the dates of archived files (.1, .2, etc.)

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2. Recovering from Google Drive: step-by-step guide

If synchronization with Google Drivewas enabled in WhatsApp settings, your messages could be saved in the cloud. However, there are important limitations:

  • 🔄 Backup in Google Drive is created only when manual start or when reinstalling the application (automatic backup has been disabled since 2021).
  • ⏳ Backup files are stored in the cloud 15 days since the last update. If you have not used WhatsApp for longer, the copy may disappear.
  • 📱 To restore you need the same phone number and devicefrom which the backup was created (or a new device with the same Google account).

To recover messages from Google Drive:

  1. Delete WhatsApp from your phone.
  2. Install the messenger again from Google Play.
  3. When you first start, enter your phone number.
  4. When the request to restore from Google Drive appears, click "Restore".
  5. Wait for the process to complete (may take up to 30 minutes depending on the size of the backup).
Condition Is recovery possible? Notes
Backup in Google Drive was created less than 15 days ago ✅ Yes Recovered completely, including media files
Backup older than 15 days ❌ No The file is deleted from the cloud automatically
The phone number has been changed ⚠️ Partially Can only be restored to the old number
The device has been reset to factory settings ✅ Yes Provided that the same Google account is linked
⚠️ Attention: If you use WhatsApp Business, backups are stored separately from the regular version of the messenger. It is impossible to restore chats from a business account to a personal WhatsApp (and vice versa).

Never|Once a month|Only before reinstallation|Automatically (if enabled)|I don’t know how it works

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3. Using third-party recovery apps

If standard methods do not work, specialized utilities like Dr.Fone, EaseUS MobiSaver or Tenorshare UltDatacome to the rescue. These apps scan the device's memory at the file system level and can even find deleted data - but with reservations:

  • 🛡️ Without root access the apps will restore only those messages that were not overwritten by new data.
  • 🔓 With root access the chances are higher, but there are also risks: loss of warranty, security threats, possible device bricking.
  • 💰 Free versions usually show found messages, but do not allow you to save them (purchase of a license is required).

Example of recovery via Dr.Fone:

  1. Download and install the app on your PC (official website).
  2. Connect the phone to the computer via USB (enable USB debugging in the developer settings).
  3. Select mode "Whatsapp data recovery".
  4. Follow the app instructions (you may need to confirm access on your phone).
  5. After scanning, select the messages you need and save them in .html or .txt.
💡

Before using recovery apps, turn off mobile data and Wi-Fi on your phone. This will prevent new notifications or updates from overwriting deleted data.

Among other popular utilities:

  • 📱 EaseUS MobiSaver —supports recovery of media files from WhatsApp.
  • 🔍 Tenorshare UltData —works s crypt12 i crypt14 (current backup formats).
  • 🛠️ iMobie PhoneRescue — suitable for devices with a damaged file system.
⚠️ Attention: Some apps (especially from unofficial sources) may contain malicious code. Download software only from official websites and check reviews on independent sites like Trustpilot.

4. Restoring via ADB (for advanced users)

If you have experience with Android Debug Bridge (ADB), you can try extracting WhatsApp backup files directly via the command line. This method is suitable if:

  • 📁 A local backup exists, but WhatsApp “does not see it”.
  • 🔧 You need to copy the file msgstore.db.crypt14 to a PC for further analysis.
  • 🛠️ The device is not rooted, but there is access k ADB.

Instructions:

  1. Install ADB on a PC (for example, via Android Studio or Minimal ADB and Fastboot).
  2. Connect your phone to the computer and enable USB debugging in the settings developer.
  3. Open the command line (or Terminal on macOS/Linux) and run:
adb devices

(your device should be displayed).

adb pull /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/msgstore.db.crypt14 C:\Backup\

(replace C:\Backup\ with the desired path on your PC).

After copying the file, you can:

  • 🔄 Rename it and return it to your phone for recovery via WhatsApp (as in the first method).
  • 🔍 Analyze using utilities like WhatsApp Viewer (requires decryption).
What to do if ADB does not see the device?

Make sure that the drivers for your phone model are installed (download from the manufacturer's website Check if the mode is enabled File transfer (MTP) when connected via USB. Restart your phone and PC. If used macOS or Linux, you may need to configure udev rules.

5. Restoring using root access: risks and opportunities

If your device has root access, the chances of returning deleted messages increase significantly. Root allows you to:

  • 📂 Access system folders where temporary WhatsApp files can be stored.
  • 🔍 Use powerful utilities like DiskDigger or GT Recovery, which scan memory at a low level.
  • 🛠️ Recover data even after factory reset (provided that new data has not overwritten the old ones).

However, there are also serious ones risks:

  • ⚠️ Loss of warranty (most manufacturers will void the warranty if root is detected).
  • 🛡️ Vulnerability to malware (root opens access to system files).
  • 💥 Possibility of “bricking” the device in case of incorrect actions.

If you are ready for risks, follow the algorithm:

  1. Install Root Explorer or FX File Explorer (with root support).
  2. Go to the folder /data/data/com.whatsapp/databases.
  3. Find files with the extension .db or .crypt —these may be temporary copies of messages.
  4. Copy them to your PC and try opening them via DB Browser for SQLite or WhatsApp Viewer.
💡

Root access gives maximum possibilities for recovery, but use it only if other methods have not worked. Always create a full system backup before manipulating root access!

6. Alternative methods: when nothing helps

If none of the above methods worked, less reliable, but sometimes effective options remain:

  • 📧 Export chats by email. If you have ever sent yourself an archive of correspondence via Settings → Chat → Chat history → Export chat, check your mail - a text file with messages may be saved there.
  • 🔄 Contact WhatsApp support. In rare cases (for example, when an account is blocked), support can provide an archive of messages. However, this is not guaranteed and takes up to 30 days.
  • 📱 Checking other devices. If you used WhatsApp Web or multi-device mode, the messages could have been saved on another gadget.
  • 💾 Memory image analysis. Specialized services (like Oxygen Forensics) can extract data from the physical memory of the phone, but this is expensive and requires sending the device to a laboratory.

If messages were critically important (for example, they were evidence in court), contact digital forensics. They use professional equipment to recover data even from damaged drives. The cost of such services starts from 10,000 rubles, but the chances of success are higher than with independent attempts.

⚠️ Attention: Some “recovery services” on the Internet offer “hacking” of WhatsApp databases for money. This is fraud - Meta does not provide access to servers to third parties.

7. How to avoid losing messages in the future

To avoid encountering the problem of deleted chats again, follow these simple rules:

  • 🔄 Enable automatic backup to Google Drive: Settings → Chat → Backup → Backup to Google Drive. Select the frequency (daily, weekly or monthly).
  • 📁 Periodically copy local backups on PC. Files from the folder WhatsApp/Databases can be transferred to your computer manually.
  • 📧 Export important chats via email or to cloud services (for example, Google Keep).
  • 🔒 Use two-factor authenticationto protect your account from hacking (and data loss).
  • 📱 Install an application for SMS backup (for example, SMS Backup & Restore), which will duplicate WhatsApp messages.

Also useful to know:

  • WhatsApp stores last 7 days messages in the device’s RAM. If you deleted a chat today, do not reboot your phone - this will increase the chances of recovery.
  • With factory reset local backups of WhatsApp are deleted, but they can be previously copied to a PC.
  • If you change your phone, first transfer chats via the function Transfer chats in the WhatsApp settings.
💡

Create a separate folder in Google Drive specifically for WhatsApp backups. This way you can control their safety and avoid automatic deletion after 15 days.

Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to recover WhatsApp messages after reinstalling the application?

Yes, but only if:

  • You did not launch WhatsApp after reinstalling (otherwise the local backup will be overwritten).
  • There is a current backup copy in Google Drive (created no later than 15 days ago).
  • You are using the same phone number and Google account.

If these conditions are not met, the chances are minimal.

What to do if WhatsApp does not see the local backup?

Try the following:

  1. Check that the backup file is called msgstore.db.crypt14 (without additional numbers at the end).
  2. Make sure that folder WhatsApp/Databases is located in the root directory of the phone memory (not on the SD card).
  3. Move the backup file to your PC, delete WhatsApp, then return the file back and install the messenger again.
  4. If the file is damaged, try restoring it using WhatsApp Viewer.
Is it possible to recover messages deleted more than a year ago?

Theoretically, yes, but in practice it is almost impossible. Local backups are stored for no longer than 7 days (unless you copy them manually), and cloud copies in Google Drive are deleted after 15 days of inactivity. The only chance:

  • You manually saved archived backup files (msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt14) on a PC or other media.
  • You used third-party backup apps (for example, Titanium Backup with root access).

In other cases, the data is most likely irretrievably lost.

Will recovery work on a phone with custom firmware?

Yes, but with reservations:

  • Local WhatsApp backups are saved only if the custom firmware supports the standard one Android file structure.
  • For work ADB or recovery apps, you may need to install additional drivers.
  • Some custom recovery (for example, TWRP) allow you to create full images of the partition /datawhere they are stored messages.

If the firmware is heavily modified (for example, LineageOS without Gapps), backup to Google Drive will not work.

Is it possible to restore messages if the phone is stolen?

Unfortunately, there are no reliable methods. Your actions:

  1. Immediately block the SIM card with your operator to prevent attackers from gaining access to your WhatsApp account.
  2. Try to remotely delete data from your phone via Find My Device (if the function was enabled).
  3. If you have a Google backup Disk, install WhatsApp on a new device and restore chats from there.

Messages that are not included in the backup cannot be returned.