Deleting Viber from a phone is a situation that many users face. The reasons are different: accidental pressing, reset, virus attack or simple lack of memory. But the main thing is the consequences: loss of access to correspondence, contacts and media files. Fortunately, in most cases, your account and data can be restored. Even if you didn’t make backups in advance.

The secret is that Viber uses binding to a phone number, not a device. This means that your profile is stored on the messenger servers, and not just in the smartphone’s memory. However, the situation with messages is more complicated: their recovery depends on whether automatic backups were enabled. In this article we will look at all the working methods - from official to little-known life hacks.

📊 Have you ever lost data in instant messengers?
Yes, due to a phone reset
Yes, after deleting the application
No, I always do backups
No, but I’m afraid of this situation

1. Recovering a Viber account via phone number

The easiest way to regain access to Viber —reinstall the application and log in using the linked number. Messenger automatically syncs your profile, contacts and settings (but not messages!). Here's how to do it correctly:

Download Viber from Google Play or the official website. When you first start, enter phone number, which was linked to the remote account. You will receive an SMS with a confirmation code. After entering the code, the application will offer to restore data from a backup copy (if there is one).

  • 📱 Make sure that the SIM card is active —the code is sent only to the work number.
  • 🔄 Use the same numberas during registration. Changing the number = creating a new account.
  • 🚫 Do not click "Skip" at the recovery stage - otherwise the correspondence history will be lost forever.

If messages do not appear after authorization, check the section Settings → Account → Backup. The option "Automatic backup"should be active there. If it was not enabled before deletion, you will not be able to restore the correspondence using this method.

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If you have two-factor authentication in Viber, you will need a password after entering the SMS code. It can be restored via the email associated with your account.

2. How to return Viber messages from a backup

Messenger creates local backups on the device, but only if this function has been activated before deletion. Copy files are stored in the folder /sdcard/Viber/backup/ or /storage/emulated/0/Viber/backup/. They can be used to restore history.

Instructions:

  1. Install Viber and log in (as in the previous section).
  2. At the recovery stage, select "Restore from backup".
  3. The system will show available backups with dates. Select the most recent one.
  4. Wait for the process to complete (may take up to 10 minutes).
Copy type Where it is stored What it restores Limitations
Local Folder /Viber/backup/ on the phone Messages, media, stickers Deleted when the phone is reset
Google Drive Google Cloud (if enabled) Messages only (no media) Requires authorization with Google
iCloud (not relevant for Android) — — Only for iOS

If there are no local copies, check Google Drive:

  1. Open Settings → Account → Backup in Viber.
  2. Click "Restore from Google Drive".
  3. Select the Google account that was linked to the phone before deletion.

Make sure that there is enough memory on the phone|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi|Battery charge >50%|Disable battery optimization for Viber-->

3. Manual recovery of messages through backup files

If automatic recovery does not work, you can try manually extracting data from the backup copy. To do this, you will need a file manager (for example, Total Commander or FX File Explorer) and an archiver (for example, ZArchiver).

Action algorithm:

  1. Find the folder /Viber/backup/ on your phone or SD card.
  2. Copy the file with the extension .vcb (for example, viber_backup_20260515.vcb) to your computer.
  3. Rename the extension to .zip and unpack the archive.
  4. Inside there will be files messages.db and media —they can be viewed through special apps like Viber Backup Extractor.

Critical detail: the files .vcb are encrypted. Without the original password (which is generated when creating a copy), it is impossible to extract the data. If you did not write down the password, this method will not work.

What to do if there are no .vcb files?

If the /Viber/backup/ folder is empty, then backups were never created. In this case, the only chance is to contact Viber support with a request to recover data from their servers. Success depends on company policy and how long ago the deletion occurred. The chances are minimal if more than 30 days have passed.

4. Recovery through third-party apps

There are applications that promise to recover deleted data Viber even without backups. Among them: Dr.Fone, EaseUS MobiSaver, Tenorshare UltData. They scan the phone's memory for residual files and try to reconstruct them.

How it works:

  • 🔍 The app scans the internal memory and SD card.
  • 📂 Finds fragments of databases Viber (for example, viber_messages.db).
  • 🛠️ Recovers messages, contacts and media (partially).

It is important to understand:

⚠️ Attention: Most of these apps require root access for deep scanning. This violates the phone's warranty and may lead to unstable operation of the system. In addition, free versions usually show “found” data, but require payment for recovery.

If you decide to use this method, follow the instructions:

  1. Install the app on your PC. (for example, Dr.Fone).
  2. Connect your phone via USB with debugging enabled (Settings → For developers → USB debugging).
  3. Select recovery mode Viber.
  4. Wait for the scanning to finish and save the found data.

5. Features of recovery on phones of different brands

The recovery process may differ depending on the phone manufacturer. This is due to the features of the file system, backup policy and interface.

Samsung:

  • 📁 Uses its own cloud Samsung Cloud, where copies of applications can be stored.
  • 🔄 Recovery via Settings → Cloud and accounts entries → Data recovery.
  • ⚠️ Local backups Viber can be automatically deleted when clearing the cache.

Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco:

  • 🛡️ Has a built-in function "Backup and reset" in the settings.
  • 📱 Local copies are stored in /MIUI/backup/.
  • ⚠️ After a factory reset, all unsaved data is lost.

Google Pixel:

  • ☁️ Automatically synchronizes data with Google Drive, including settings for some applications.
  • 🔗 Recovery via Settings → System → Recovery.
⚠️ Attention: On phones with encrypted storage (for example, some models Huawei or OnePlus) manual extraction of data from backups without root access is impossible. In this case, the only hope left is for cloud copies.

6. What to do if nothing helps?

If all of the above methods did not work, radical measures remain:

  • 📞 Contact Viber support through the form on the website support.viber.com. Please provide your phone number, date of deletion and describe the problem. Sometimes they can restore the account manually.
  • 🔧 Restore old firmware (if the deletion occurred after an Android update). This is a risky method that requires skills in working with ADB i Fastboot.
  • 💬 Ask contacts to resend important messages. Not all data is critical - sometimes it’s easier to restore correspondence manually.

If you use Viber for work, consider alternatives:

  • 📌 Telegram — supports cloud message storage.
  • 📌 WhatsApp - automatic backups to Google Drive.
  • 📌 Signal - encryption and backups.

And most importantly - set up automatic backup immediately after recovery! To do this:

  1. Open Viber and go to Settings → Account → Backup.
  2. Enable option "Automatic backup".
  3. Select frequency (daily/weekly) and storage location (Google Drive or locally).
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Without a backup, the chances of returning messages after deleting Viber are minimal. Setting up an automatic backup takes 2 minutes, but saves years of correspondence.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about restoring Viber

Can I restore Viber if I changed my phone number?

No. The account Viber is strictly tied to the number. When you change your number, a new profile is created and the old one becomes inaccessible. The only way out is to return the old number from the operator (if possible) or ask your contacts to send important messages to the new number.

I deleted Viber a year ago. Is there a chance to recover messages?

The chances are extremely low. Local backups may have been overwritten, and servers Viber do not store message history for more than a few months. Try contacting support, but don’t count on a positive result.

Are media files (photos, videos, voices) restored along with messages?

It depends on the type of backup:

  • 📁 Local backup (.vcb) - restores both messages and media.
  • ☁️ Google Drive - only text messages (media is lost).
  • 🔧 Third-party apps - can return part of the media, but without guarantees.
Is it possible to restore Viber on a new phone?

Yes, if:

  1. You use the same phone number.
  2. You have a backup copy (local or Google Drive).
  3. You are logged in to the same Google account (for cloud backups).

Install Viber on a new device and follow the instructions from section 1 of this article.

Why are some messages not displayed after recovery?

This can happen for several reasons:

  • 🔹 A backup was created before the appearance of these messages.
  • 🔹 The backup file is damaged (for example, due to an interrupted saving process).
  • 🔹 Messages were deleted manually before creating a backup.
  • 🔹 Restoration took place through Google Drive, which does not save media and some types of messages.