Recovering deleted WhatsApp correspondence on Redmi 9A: all working methods

Deleting important messages on WhatsApp on a smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 9A is a situation familiar to many. The reasons for data loss can be different: accidentally clicking “Delete chat”, resetting the phone to factory settings, file system damage or even a virus attack. Fortunately, restore correspondence it is often possible - at least partially. In this article, we will look at all the current methods, from standard backups to little-known techniques for experienced users.

Main rule: the sooner you start acting, the higher the chances of success. The fact is that after deletion, the data does not disappear instantly - it is marked as “free” and is gradually overwritten with new information. On Redmi 9A e with its modest 32–64 GB of memory, this process can take from several hours to a day. Therefore, do not delay recovery and do not install new applications, do not take photos or download files - this will reduce the risk of overwriting deleted messages.

It is also worth considering that the effectiveness of the methods depends on several factors:

• 🔄 Whether it was configured automatic backup to Google Drive or locally on the phone.
• 📅 How much time has passed since deletion - the more, the worse.
• 📱 Version Android i WhatsApp on your Redmi 9A (current at the time of writing this article Android 10/11 s MIUI 12 i WhatsApp 2.23.x).
• 🔧 Availability of root access (for some advanced methods).

1. Restore via Google Drive (the most reliable method)

If your Redmi 9A function was enabled automatic backup. data-i="63">Google Drive v Google Drive, then you can restore correspondence in just a few clicks. This method works even after completely resetting the phone or reinstalling WhatsApp.

To check if there is a backup:

1. Delete WhatsApp from the phone (if it is still installed).
2. Download the application again from Google Play.
3. When you first start, enter the same number phone that was previously used.
4. A prompt will appear on the screen restore chats and media files from Google Drive. Click “Restore.”

The process can take from several minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the copy and the Internet speed. Important: Do not interrupt the recovery, even if it is frozen. If the battery Redmi 9A is less than 50% discharged, connect the phone to charge.

⚠️ Attention: If you have already installed WhatsApp after deleting the correspondence and skipped the recovery step, then reinstalling the application again will not help - the copy from Google Drive will be ignored. In this case, try other methods.

To avoid data loss in the future, check your backup settings:

• 🔧 Open WhatsApp → ⋮ → Settings → Chat → Backup.
• 📅 Make sure daily or weekly copy is selected.
• 🔒 Connect your account Googleif it is not added.
• 📡 Use Wi-Fi for copying so as not to waste mobile traffic.

2. Local recovery from the file msgstore.db.crypt14

If the backup copy in Google Drive is missing or outdated, you can try to restore correspondence from local backupwhich WhatsApp creates automatically every day at 2:00 am. The files are stored in the folder /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases on the internal memory Redmi 9A.

Recovery instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the PC via a USB cable and turn on mode File transfer.
2. Go to the folder WhatsApp/Databases (if it is not there, check hidden folders).
3. Find the file named msgstore.db.crypt14 (or msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt14 — this is an older copy).
4. Copy it to your computer and then rename it to msgstore.db.crypt14 (remove the date from the name, if any).
5. Return the file back to the folder Databases, replacing the existing one.
6. Delete WhatsApp from the phone and install again.
7. When you first launch the application, it will detect a local copy and offer to restore it.

If there are several files in the folder with different dates, select the most recent one Before the correspondence was deleted. For example, if messages were deleted on May 15, look for a copy dated May 14.

File type	Description	Can it be restored?
msgstore.db.crypt14	Last local copy	Yes
msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt14	Old copy (date in title)	Yes
msgstore.db.crypt12	Outdated format (until 2018)	Only with conversion
Files without extension	Damaged or incomplete copies	No

⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 9A with MIUI access to the folder WhatsApp may be limited. If you do not see files through Explorer, use a file manager with superuser rights (for example, FX File Explorer) or connect the phone to the PC.

3. Using third-party apps (for experienced users)

If standard methods do not work, you can try specialized utilities for data recovery. They scan the phone's memory for deleted files and try to reconstruct them. The most popular apps:

• 🛠️ Dr.Fone (Wondershare) - supports WhatsApp and other messengers, works without root.
• 🔍 EaseUS MobiSaver - recovers messages, photos and videos from chats.
• 📱 Tenorshare UltData - suitable for Xiaomi, but requires connection to PC.

Action algorithm (using example Dr.Fone):

1. Install the app on your computer and connect Redmi 9A via USB.
2. Select mode Whatsapp data recovery.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen (you may need to enable USB debugging in the developer settings).
4. After scanning, the app will show the messages found. Mark the ones you need and click “Recover.”

Disadvantages of this method:

• ⚠️ Free versions of apps are often limited (for example, they show only part of the messages).
• ⚠️ There is no guarantee of 100% recovery - especially if the data has been overwritten.
• ⚠️ Some utilities require root accesswhich may void the warranty for Redmi 9A.

4. Recovery via root access (advanced method)

If you have root access on Redmi 9A, the chances of recovering deleted messages increase significantly. Root allows you to gain access to system partitions where fragments of correspondence can be saved. To do this you will need:

• 📱 A phone with an unlocked bootloader and obtained root access (for example, through Magisk).
• 💻 app DiskDigger or GT Recovery for Android.
• 🔧 Knowledge of commands ADB (optional).

Step-by-step guide:

1. Install DiskDigger from Google Play (or download APK from the official website).
2. Run the app and select Full scan (requires root).
3. Wait for the analysis to complete - this may take from 30 minutes to several hours.
4. In the results, find files with the extension .db or keywords whatsapp, msgstore.
5. Save them on your PC and try opening them through specialized tools (for example, WhatsApp Viewer).

On Redmi 9A s MIUI obtaining root access may lead to blocking of some functions (for example, Mi Pay or Face UnlockIn addition, Xiaomi is actively struggling with unlocking the bootloader, so the process may take up to 72 hours of waiting. permissions.

⚠️ Attention: Some banking applications (for example, Sberbank Online or Tinkoff) may stop working on a rooted phone. Before unlocking the bootloader, create a full backup of your data.

5. Manual recovery from a database file (for technical specialists)

This method is suitable for those who are ready to work with databases and command line utilities. A file SQLite-databases and command line utilities. File msgstore.db.crypt14 is an encrypted database WhatsAppthat can be decrypted and read manually.

For this you will need:

• 🖥️ A computer with Python i installed library pycryptodome.
• 🔑 Encryption key (can be extracted from the phone with root or via Titanium Backup).
• 📄 File msgstore.db.crypt14 (copied from Redmi 9A).

Brief instructions:

1. Download script WhatsApp Key DB Extractor c GitHub.
2. Extract the encryption key from the file /data/data/com.whatsapp/files/key on the phone.
3. Use the command to decrypt:

   openssl enc -d -aes-256-cbc -md -k "your_key" -in msgstore.db.crypt14 -out msgstore.db

4. Open the received msgstore.db via DB Browser for SQLite.

This method requires technical skills and does not guarantee 100% results, but sometimes it allows you to recover even those messages that are not visible through standard methods.

What to do if the msgstore.db file is damaged?

If when you try to open the database you see error SQLite error: file is not a database, try the following steps:

1. Check the integrity of the file using the utility sqlite3 msgstore.db ".schema" —if the command returns an error, the file is damaged.

2. Use tools like SQLite Database Recovery to restore the structure.

3. If the database cannot be restored, try to find an older copy in the folder Databases (with the date in the name).

6. Prevention: how to avoid losing correspondence in the future

To no longer encounter the problem of deleted messages, follow these recommendations:

Enable automatic backup to Google Drive|Create local copies manually once a week|Do not store important messages only in WhatsApp (duplicate to mail or cloud)|Use two-factor authentication|Check periodically integrity of backup copies-->

Additional security measures:

• 🔐 Configure two-step verification in WhatsApp: Settings → Account → Two-step verification. This will protect your account from hacking.
• 📤 Export important chats manually: open the dialog → ⋮ → Export chat (can be saved without media files to save space).
• 📥 Check regularly whether backups are being created. To do this, go to Settings → Chat → Backup and look at the date of the last copy.
• 🚫 Avoid memory "cleaners" (for example, Clean Master or built-in optimizer MIUI), which can delete files WhatsApp.

If you often reinstall the firmware on Redmi 9A or experiment with custom ROMs, create a full backup of the system via TWRP or OrangeFox Recovery. This will allow you to restore not only correspondence, but also all phone settings.

7. Frequent errors and their solutions

When restoring correspondence, users Redmi 9A often encounter typical problems. Here are the most common of them and how to solve them:

Error	Possible cause	Solution
"Could not restore the backup"	Mismatch version WhatsApp or Google account	Update the application to the latest version and check that you are using the same account Googleas when creating the copy.
Folder Databases empty	Automatic copying is disabled or files are hidden	Enable the display of hidden files in the file manager or check the settings WhatsApp.
Recovery freezes at 0%	Poor Internet connection or large copy	Connect to a stable Wi-Fi and wait for it to complete (may take several hours).
Messages were restored, but without media files	Media saving is disabled in the copy settings	Before restoring, check that in Settings → Chat → Backup enabled "Enable video".

If none of the methods worked, try contacting support WhatsApp via the feedback form in the application (Settings → Help → Contact us). Please indicate that you have lost important data and attach screenshots of errors. Sometimes support specialists can help with account recovery, but there are no guarantees.

⚠️ Attention: Forums often advise using apps like WhatsApp Recovery or WhatsRemove, but many of them are fraudulent. Do not enter your account information on suspicious sites and do not pay for “guaranteed recovery” - this may lead to a leak of personal information.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

Is it possible to restore correspondence if the phone has been reset to factory settings settings?

Yes, but only if a backup was created in Google Drive or on a memory card before the reset. After the reset, install WhatsApp again and follow the recovery instructions. If there is no copy, the chances are minimal - the data on the internal memory Redmi 9A after a reset is usually permanently deleted.

Why did some messages disappear during recovery?

This can happen for several reasons:

• You have not restored the most recent copy (check the date the file was created msgstore.db.crypt14).
• Messages were deleted before the last backup was created.
• An error occurred during the recovery process (for example, the connection to data-i="293">Google Drive Google Drive).

Try to repeat the process or find an older copy in the folder Databases.

Is it possible to restore correspondence on another phone?

Yes, but for this you need:

1. Copy the file msgstore.db.crypt14 from Redmi 9A to a new phone in a folder /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases.
2. Install WhatsApp on a new device and enter the same phone number.
3. If you are offered to restore data, agree.

Please note that the phone number must match the one used on Redmi 9A.

What to do if WhatsApp asks you to confirm your number, but the SMS does not arrive?

This problem often occurs due to Xiaomi messages being blocked by the system. Try:

• Disable Spam blocking in the message settings (Settings → Applications → Messages → Spam blocking).
• Temporarily disable Dual SIMif you use two cards.
• Ask for a confirmation code via call (Didn’t receive the code? → Call me).
• Check if SMS is blocking antivirus (for example, Mi Security).

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

Theoretically, yes, but in practice the chances are extremely low. Google Drive stores only the latest copy, and local files on Redmi 9A are overwritten every 7 days (if automatic copying is enabled). If you have an old backup on your computer or external drive, try restoring it, but keep in mind that:

• File format msgstore.db.crypt12 (until 2018) requires conversion.
• Messages sent after the copy creation date will be lost.
• Media files (photos, videos) may have been deleted from the servers WhatsApp.