Have you deleted conversations in WhatsApp as a result of improper handling? Don't panic, there is an easy way to retrieve messages from the app on your phone, on Android as well as on iOS.
No one is immune from error. If you use WhatsApp, you can easily delete messages or even conversations accidentally, when you are tired, or in a rush, cleaning a bit impulsively ... Certainly, most messages are harmless. But some can be valuable, when they contain links or contact details, for example. And there is no cancel function in WhatsApp in case of mishandling!
Don't panic if this mishap happens to you: there is a very easy way to recover deleted messages in WhatsApp. Indeed, the app automatically makes regular backups of all conversations in the online space associated with your account - on Google Drive if you are using the Android version, or on iCloud if you are using the iOS version, on iPhone. If the messages you deleted by mistake are embedded in a recent backup, just restore it to find them! How? 'Or' What ? Simply by uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp with the same account. The only drawback is that the most recent conversations may be lost after the restoration because they may not be included in the last recordings.
Check the backup function of WhatsApp
First of all, you must check that the automatic backup function of WhatsApp is activated. Otherwise, there will be no way to find your messages….
- Open the WhatsApp app on your phone.
- Press the three small dots, at the top right of the main application interface or on the icon Settings at the bottom right of the screen on iPhone.
- In the menu that opens on Android, tap Parameters.
- On the next page, press Discussions.
- Once on the Discussions page, tap on the section Backup discussions, all the way down on Android or on Sauvegarde on iOS.
- The Chat backup screen gathers information related to the automatic backup function. You can see the date and time of the last backup made on your online storage. Do not press the button TO SAFEGUARD ou Save now on iOS because you would run a backup without the messages that have just been deleted that you are looking to recover!
- Still on the Discussions backup page, a little further down, in the Google Drive settings section (on Android), observe the frequency of backups which is mentioned just below Save to Google Drive (on Android) ou Auto save (on iOS).
- If necessary, press Save to Google Drive or Auto save on iOS to change the frequency of automatic registrations. This has no effect on the backups already made.
- In the window that opens, select the frequency that suits you to perform the backups, Weekly ou Daily, for example, depending on your use of WhatsApp and the importance of your conversations.
- After this verification and possible adjustment, return to the main WhatsApp screen using the arrows up.
Restore a WhatsApp backup
If the messages you want to recover are older than the last backup (automatic or manual), they are among the items that were saved. To find them, you must uninstall and then reinstall WhatsApp: the application will automatically recover the last backup.
Uninstall WhatsApp
- On your phone, find the WhatsApp application icon within the other applications on your mobile.
- Long press whatsapp icon. In the small window that opens, press trash can icon (Uninstall) on Android, or choose Delete the app on iOS.
- In the next window on Android, leave the option Keep xx MB of application data unchecked. On iOS, just press the button Remove.
- Validate the operation by tapping on OK.
Installer WhatsApp
- Go to the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to find and install WhatsApp like the first time. Enter whatsapp in the search bar. With an Android device, select WhatsApp in the results and then press the button Installer. On an iPhone, tap the icon shaped like a cloud with down arrow.
- Once the installation is complete, still in the Google Play Store or App Store application, press the button Open to launch the WhatsApp application.
Restore deleted messages
- When opening it for the first time, WhatsApp must be configured. To find the backed up data, you must use the same phone number and the same Google or Apple account used when creating the backups. On the first screen that appears, enter your mobile phone number (without the 0), then press the button NEXT ou Completed at the top right of the screen on iOS.
- On Android, the application then offers to find and restore your backup from Google Drive. To do this, it needs the necessary permissions in order to be able to access certain data stored on your phone.
- Press CARRY ON, then allow WhatsApp to access your contacts and documents by tapping TO ALLOW at each request.
- Once permissions are granted, WhatsApp displays the backup it found, showing you the date and time it was made. Just press the button Restore, at the bottom of the screen on Android or at the top right on an iPhone.
- WhatsApp then launches the data restoration procedure. Wait a few seconds or minutes. On the page that appears at the end of the operation, simply press the button Next in order to continue configuring the application.
- On the next page that appears, enter your name, then confirm by pressing the button Next on Android or Completed on iOS. On iPhone, this is when WhatsApp asks for permissions to access your contacts. Allow it.
- On Android, the application finally offers you to configure your backups. On the next page that appears, set the frequency for saving messages to the Google Drive online storage space by tapping on one of the available options. On an iPhone, go back to the WhatsApp backup settings to restore a regular chat backup (see above).
- In the small window that opens next, press the Google account that is associated with the backups (the one you used previously).
- The small window closes automatically and the previous page is displayed.
- Complete the configuration of the application by pressing the button Completed at the very bottom of the page.
- The main interface of WhatsApp is finally displayed. All you have to do is consult your conversations to find the deleted messages!
Contents Check backups Restore a backup No one is immune from errors. If you are using WhatsApp, you can perfectly delete messages or even conversations accidentally, when you ...
