Accidentally deleted important WhatsApp chats and media. Need them back urgently for some personal and work-related matters. Tried looking into backups but without any success so far. Any advice or tools that might help would be appreciated.
Recovering lost WhatsApp data can be a real bummer, especially when it’s crunch time. First, double-check if you’ve got any existing backups on Google Drive or iCloud that you might’ve missed. Sometimes, it’s easy to overlook them, and you can restore chats from there. Under Settings > Chats > Chat Backup on WhatsApp, you could see when the last backup was made.
Now, if you tried that and still got zip, consider a tool like Disk Drill
. It’s pretty nifty for recovering files. Here’s the lowdown: Pros: It’s user-friendly and supports a wide range of devices and file types, including WhatsApp chats and media. This tool often finds stuff even when you think it’s gone for good. Cons: It’s pricey and the full recovery isn’t free, so be prepared to shell out a bit. Also, the initial scan can take some time, so patience is key.For alternatives, you might want to check out Dr.Fone, iMobie PhoneRescue, or Tenorshare UltData. They’re solid options but tend to have varying degrees of success depending on the device and data type.
Remember, no tool guarantees 100% recovery, but these have helped a lot of folks get their precious data back. Good luck!
So you’re in a pickle, huh? Losing important WhatsApp chats and media can be a real headache, especially when you need 'em back fast. I’m totally with @techchizkid on checking Google Drive or iCloud backups first, but let’s dig a bit deeper since you’ve tried that already.
Here’s a neat trick that some folks overlook: If you’re using Android, navigate to your file manager or download a file management app. Head over to the directory /WhatsApp/Databases/
and see if you can spot any files named something like ‘msgstore.db.crypt12’. Those files are essentially local backups WhatsApp makes every night. Delete the latest one (make sure it’s safe to do so, maybe copy it to another folder first). Rename an older one to ‘msgstore.db.crypt12’. Then uninstall WhatsApp and reinstall it. During setup, it’ll prompt you to restore from backup—choose local backup this time. This method can sometimes pull out chats seemingly lost in the online backup void.
For iOS users, one sneaky way (though not always reliable) is checking any iTunes or Finder backups you may have made. You can dig into those backups using software such as iMazing or iExplorer to extract specific app data, including WhatsApp data.
Now, @techchizkid already touched on Disk Drill, and I gotta say, it’s a solid recommendation. Disk Drill can indeed be a lifesaver for various lost data including those elusive WhatsApp bits. The deep scan is powerful and although the full version isn’t free, they got a light version that can at least show you what’s recoverable before you commit. You can find more deets on Disk Drill’s capabilities and download it from Disk Drill Data Recovery Software.
If Disk Drill doesn’t float your boat or fit your budget, think about checking out EaseUS MobiSaver. It’s not as well-known as Disk Drill but does a pretty bang-up job on both Android and iOS for recovering deleted WhatsApp messages and media. It’s user-friendly but similar to other third-party recovery tools, the full features are behind a paywall. Start with the free version to see if it finds your data first.
Don’t wanna pay at all? Android users can try an old school method: rooting your phone (though it’s risky and voids your warranty, so proceed with caution). After rooting, you can try apps like DiskDigger or Undeleter, both of which recover deleted files directly from your device memory. Remember, rooting can make your phone vulnerable, so weigh the pros and cons carefully.
One interesting option if you’re on Android is to look at Google Photos or any other cloud storage apps you might’ve used. Sometimes, media files synced there without you being fully aware of it. I’m not sure if it’s common knowledge, but Google Photos often have backups of your mobile media unless you turned it off. So it’s worth diving into that rabbit hole to see if your lost media is chilling somewhere there.
In the future, it’s worth setting WhatsApp to automatically back up every day or week, depending on how critical your data is. It really does save a ton of hassle if anything goes kaput. For iOS users, the inbuilt iCloud automatic backup feature should be your go-to. It’s pretty seamless and doesn’t take much effort to set up.
So just to recap, beyond Google Drive and iCloud backups, look into local backups if you’re on Android, or iTunes backups for iOS. Check out Disk Drill if you need a robust recovery tool, or look into alternatives like EaseUS MobiSaver. Remember to explore Google Photos or other cloud backups, and consider rooting if all else fails (with caution!).
Hope something outta these tips gets you your data back. Fingers crossed!
Man, losing WhatsApp data can be such a pain. Trust me, I’ve been there. While @byteguru and @techchizkid definitely dropped some awesome advice, I wanna throw in an alternate perspective to the mix.
I see they mentioned backing up to Google Drive or iCloud, which is obviously a first go-to. But have you tried looking into any automated cloud syncs outside WhatsApp? You might’ve had your photos and videos synced somewhere like Dropbox or OneDrive without realizing it. Sometimes those services sync automatically if you set 'em up once and forgot about it.
Here’s another angle: If you’re using Android, there’s actually a slightly different approach. Besides rooting—which I agree, avoid unless you’re tech-savvy—you can explore using an app called ‘Dumpster’. It’s essentially the recycle bin for Android devices. If you haven’t reinstalled WhatsApp too many times and the cache hasn’t been cleared, you might recover some media files here.
For iOS, besides the iTunes route, don’t overlook the possibility of data being stored on your Mac if you ever tuned your WhatsApp settings for it. Apps like ecamm’s PhoneView can extract that data from your Mac backups and have proven to be life-savers even when other solutions failed.
Disk Drill has been mentioned a few times, but I gotta say, if you’re desperate and cool with the cost, it’s pretty reliable. It even has a site where you can dig into its use cases: Disk Drill. You might recall stuff from places you wouldn’t even think of. However, don’t get your hopes all in one basket, ya know? Sometimes, no recovery tool works miracles.
Also, the advice on Google Photos shouldn’t be underrated. I once recovered a bunch of my lost pics just because Google Photos had 'em backed up automatically. To check it out, just dive into the Google Photos app, search for the dates the chats/media might’ve been shared and you might stumble upon 'em.
In case Disk Drill feels too heavy on the wallet, don’t sleep on alternative tools like FonePaw Data Recovery or even Fab’s Auto Backup. These tools work on different principles and might just hit the bullseye where others missed. They might not tap into every single nook and cranny like Disk Drill does, but hey, sometimes you get lucky.
Last tip—and this might clash with rooting that was suggested above—sometimes you’ll wanna kick up a parallel approach: sideload apps specifically designed for recovery. Stuff like DiskDigger or Recuva. Again, a bit techy and can mess up your phone warranty, but part of the past recovery folklore, if you catch my drift.
Good luck getting those chats back. I know it’s a grind, but don’t lose hope yet.