How to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages [Working Methods]

Can I recover WhatsApp messages that are deleted? Is it possible to get back the messages after I uninstall the app? Can I read my kid’s WhatsApp messages even if they have cleared the full chat? These are the questions that come into your mind when you try to see deleted messages.

My honest answer is yes. It is possible to recover deleted WhatsApp messages, but you need to follow the right steps. In this blog I will show you all the working methods that you can try right now to get back those deleted chats. Just follow along with me, and you will be able to recover your WhatsApp messages without any confusion. Let’s start.

Can You Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages Without Backup?

A lot of people never set up WhatsApp backups (maybe you too). Sometimes it’s because of storage space, sometimes they just forget, and other times they don’t even know the option exists. But the moment an important chat is deleted, the real trouble starts.

To be direct:

• No, you cannot recover deleted WhatsApp messages without backup through WhatsApp itself.
• WhatsApp’s own feature for saving chats is the backup option. That’s what helps you restore messages if you switch phones or reinstall the app.

That doesn’t mean you’re unlucky to recover deleted Whatsapp messages. In some cases, you might still have some chances to get back your chats stored on your phone. This usually depends on how your device saves local files.

So, to keep it simple:

• If you had backups turned on, recovery is super easy.
• If you didn’t, recovery becomes harder but not impossible.

Many people ask how to read deleted messages in whatsapp without any backup. WhatsApp itself doesn’t support this; results depend on local device data and are never guaranteed.

Keep reading. In the next sections, I’ll show you the step-by-step methods you can actually try on both Android and iPhone.

How to Restore WhatsApp Backup From Google Drive (Android)

The easiest way for Android users who search for how to restore WhatsApp chat is by using Google Drive backup. If you had backups turned on before the messages were deleted, you can bring them back just by reinstalling WhatsApp and following a few quick steps.

Just follow this process exactly:

1. Uninstall WhatsApp from your phone.
2. Reinstall it from the Google Play Store.
3. Open WhatsApp and enter your phone number.
4. Once your number is verified, you’ll see a prompt that says “Restore backup from Google Drive.”
5. Tap on Restore and wait for the process to complete.
6. After that, tap Next → your chats will load, and media files (photos/videos) will follow in the background.

A few important things to remember:

• Make sure you’re logged into the same Google account where your backup is stored.
• Use the same phone number that was linked to the backup.

If your backup exists in Google Drive, I’m sure this method works 100% of the time.

How to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages From Local Backup (Android)

If you don’t use Google Drive backup, WhatsApp also saves a copy of your chats on your phone. You can use that to get back your deleted messages. These are called local backups, and you can use them to bring back deleted messages. Just follow these steps:

1. Open File Manager on your phone

• Go to the folder: Internal Storage > WhatsApp > Databases
• Here you’ll see files like msgstore.db.crypt14 and others with dates.

2. Find the most recent backup file

• Usually, the file named msgstore.db.crypt14 is the latest one.
• Files with dates (like msgstore-2025-09-01.1.db.crypt14) are older backups.

3. Rename the backup file

• Pick the backup you want to restore.
• Rename it to msgstore.db.crypt14 (make sure only one file has this name).

4. Uninstall WhatsApp from your phone

5. Reinstall WhatsApp and verify your number

6. Restore from local backup

• When WhatsApp asks to restore your chats, choose Restore.
• It will pick up the local backup file you renamed.

This method works about 70 - 80% of the time. If your backup was saved before the chats got deleted, you’ll get them back. But if the backup was saved after they were deleted, then there’s no chance you can see those deleted WhatsApp messages.

How to Restore WhatsApp Messages on iPhone

Now that we’ve seen how to recover deleted WhatsApp messages on Android, let’s move on to iPhone. Just like Android, iPhone also gives you more than one way to bring back your deleted WhatsApp messages. Below are two reliable methods that we suggest and work.

1: Restore WhatsApp Message from iCloud Backup

If you’ve turned on iCloud backup for WhatsApp, you can easily recover deleted whatsapp chats.

• Open WhatsApp on your iPhone.
• Delete and reinstall the app if needed.
• Verify your phone number when prompted.
• Tap Restore Chat History when the option appears.
• Wait for the backup to load completely.

This method works only if you’ve enabled iCloud backup before messages were deleted. If you use iCloud, you can easily backup and restore WhatsApp chat history anytime you reinstall the app.

2: WhatsApp chat Backup Using iTunes Backup

If you regularly back up your iPhone using iTunes (or Finder on Mac), you can restore your whole device and bring back old WhatsApp messages.

• Connect your iPhone to your computer.
• Open iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and later).
• Select your iPhone and click Restore Backup.
• Choose the backup file that likely contains your WhatsApp messages.
• Wait for the restore process to finish.

Keep in mind, this restores your iPhone completely to that backup point, not just WhatsApp.

Both these methods are working, but their success depends on whether you had backups enabled or not. In most cases, if you had iCloud backup turned on, recovery success is 80 - 90% reliable. Without any backups, the chances drop significantly.

How to Restore WhatsApp Backup From Google Drive to IPhone

If you’re moving from Android to iPhone, you’ll quickly realize that you can’t directly restore a Google Drive backup on your iPhone. That’s because Android and iPhone use different clouds services. Android uses Google Drive, while iPhone uses iCloud. So, the two don’t sync with each other.

But still there are a few methods you can use to restore WhatsApp chats over to your iPhone.

How to Download WhatsApp Backup from Google Drive

Right now, there’s no way to directly download a WhatsApp Google Drive backup onto your iPhone. The backup is encrypted and tied to your Android phone. However, here’s the correct process you can follow:

Method 1: Using the Move to iOS App (Official Way)

• On your Android phone, install the Move to iOS app from the Google Play Store.
• Set up your iPhone until you reach the Apps & Data screen.
• Choose Move Data from Android.
• Open the Move to iOS app on your Android phone and follow the steps shown on both screens.
• Select WhatsApp data to transfer.
• Wait until the transfer finishes and your chats appear on your iPhone.

This method is official and safe. But keep in mind that both devices need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and you’ll need enough space on your iPhone to restore the chats.

Method 2: Using Third-Party Tools

If the Move to iOS app doesn’t work, some third-party tools (like iCareFone Transfer, MobileTrans, or Dr.Fone) can help move your Google Drive WhatsApp backup to your iPhone.

• Download and install the tool on your computer.
• Connect both your Android phone and iPhone to the computer.
• Follow the instructions on the software to transfer your WhatsApp backup from Android (Google Drive) to iPhone (iCloud).

How to Retrieve Old WhatsApp Messages Without Backup (Android & iPhone)

Remember this: Recovering your old WhatsApp messages without a backup is very tough. The chances are very low, maybe less than 30 percent. This is because WhatsApp mainly depends on backups to restore chats. If you have no backup, only a few tricks might help, but they don’t always work.

What You Can Try Without Backup

Even if you don’t have a backup, as I told you earlier, there are a few simple things you can try on both Android and iPhone:

On Android

• Check your local WhatsApp folder (usually under Internal Storage > WhatsApp > Databases).
• Use a third-party recovery tool (like Dr.Fone or iMyFone) to scan for deleted messages.

On iPhone

• See if any iTunes backup exists on your computer.
• Try a data recovery tool for iOS that can scan the device storage for deleted WhatsApp files.

Without backup, chances are low but not zero. You may get lucky with local storage or recovery apps. If you want the detailed step-by-step guide, I’ve already explained it in the earlier section of this blog, you can go back and check it out.

In the upcoming section, I’ll show you how to enable WhatsApp backup so you don’t lose important chats and media after reading this blog.

Why “WhatsApp Is Unable to Restore Chats From This Backup” (Main Reasons)

Sometimes, when you try to restore your WhatsApp chats from Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone), you see an error saying it can’t restore from this backup. This can be frustrating, but it usually happens because of a few simple reasons. Let’s go through them one by one.

Possible Reasons

• Different phone number: If the backup was made using another number, WhatsApp won’t restore it. You need to log in with the exact same number.
• Different Google or iCloud account: The backup is linked to the Google account (Android) or Apple ID (iPhone) that created it. If you’re signed in with another account, WhatsApp won’t detect the backup.
• Poor internet connection: A weak Wi-Fi or mobile data signal can interrupt the restore process.
• Backup not available: Sometimes, the backup might not have been created properly or it’s too old. In this case, WhatsApp can’t pull the data.
• Not enough storage space: If your phone doesn’t have enough free space, WhatsApp can’t restore the backup.
• Outdated WhatsApp version: Using an old version of WhatsApp may cause restore errors.

What You Should Do

• Make sure you’re logged in with the same phone number and the same Google account or Apple ID that created the backup.
• Connect to a strong and stable Wi-Fi network before starting the restore.
• Check that you have enough free storage on your phone.
• Update WhatsApp to the latest version from the Play Store or App Store.
• If you still can’t restore, the backup might be damaged or missing. In that case, you can only start fresh and enable backup again to avoid this problem in the future.

Wrapping Up

WhatsApp has nearly 3 billion monthly active users, that’s about 38% of the global population and 69% of all internet users. With so many relying on WhatsApp daily, losing important messages can feel like losing a piece of your digital life.

It’s never fun to lose your chats, but now you know the right steps to recover deleted WhatsApp messages. From restoring backups to using simple methods without backup, you’ve got a clear idea of what to do next time this happens.

Thank you for reading this guide. I hope it made things easier for you. If you want to learn more, you can also check out my other blogs where I’ve shared more helpful tips and tricks for WhatsApp and other apps.