A Google Drive backup can be very useful when you need to recover deleted WhatsApp messages. But if automatic backup was not enabled, or you use an iPhone, you may not have that option.
This article breaks down 5 practical ways to restore WhatsApp messages even without a Google Drive backup.
Read on to find the method that best fits your situation.
1st Case. Restore WhatsApp without Google Drive on Android
1.1 Restore WhatsApp Messages via Local Backup
WhatsApp may keep a local backup of your chats in the device storage, and you can use it to restore messages. Follow these steps.
- Begin by uninstalling WhatsApp from your device. Reinstall the app from the Play Store.
- Complete the setup process and verify your phone number
- Once your account has been verified, WhatsApp should detect the local backup. Click “Restore” and WhatsApp will look for any offline backups available.
- Select one backup and then click “Next” and WhatsApp will begin restoring the messages.
1.2 Restore WhatsApp Messages through File Explorer
The local backup method above will restore only the most recent backup. If you want to choose an older backup, use a file manager instead.
- Install a file manager from the Play Store if your phone does not already have one.
- Open the app and look for the WhatsApp folder in internal storage or on the SD card. The folder is usually named /WhatsApp/databases. If you do not see it, search for “msgstore” files instead.
- Choose the backup file that you would like to restore and copy the file.
- Rename the file so that it looks like a more recent file.
- Then, follow the steps in part 1 above to restore the renamed backup.
Those files are usually named in a format like msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12.
2nd Case. Restore WhatsApp Without Google Drive on iPhone
If you are using an iPhone, Google Drive backup does not apply. Instead, your automatic WhatsApp backup is in iCloud. There are 2 main ways to restore a WhatsApp backup on iPhone.
2.1 Restore WhatsApp via iCloud
To restore your WhatsApp messages from an iCloud backup, simply follow this process:
- First, uninstall the app. Then, head over to the App Store to download and reinstall WhatsApp.
- Open WhatsApp and proceed with the setup instructions, including verifying your phone number.
- After verification, Click "Restore Chat History" from iCloud.
- Once restoration is complete, you'll be prompted to set up your WhatsApp profile. After setup, your chats, photos, videos, and attachments should be accessible within the app.
2.2 Restore WhatsApp Messages via iTunes
If your computer has an iTunes backup of the iPhone, restoring that backup may also bring back WhatsApp conversations.
Steps:
- Launch iTunes on your computer and connect your iPhone using a USB cable.
- When your device appears in iTunes, click the device icon at the top left.
- Select "Restore Backup" from the menu. Choose the latest backup and click "Restore" to initiate the process.
3rd Case. Restore WhatsApp Messages on Both Android and iPhone
There is an easier way to backup and restore data on both Android and iPhone. The third-party tool – Mobitrix WhatsApp Transfer is here to manage the WhatsApp messages and media on your device. In particular, you can use it to create a full backup of all the WhatsApp data on your device for FREE and restore the backup when you need to.
To back up your WhatsApp messages, install Mobitrix on your computer first and then follow these steps.
Step 1: Launch Mobitrix on your computer and select "Back Up" from the functions menu on the left.
Step 2: Connect your iPhone or Android device to the computer. Once Mobitrix recognizes your device, initiate the backup by clicking on "Back Up".
The backup starts right away, and Mobitrix will let you know when it is complete.
If you need to restore the backup to your device, follow these simple steps:
Step 3: Select "Restore" from the left toolbar and connect your device to the computer using a USB cable.
Step 4: Open the "Restore" area, find your backup file, and choose the backup with the WhatsApp data you want to restore. Right-click it, select "Restore to phone", and then choose your target device.
The program will promptly start the process of restoring the WhatsApp data to your device.
With the solutions above, you should be able to restore WhatsApp messages on Android or iPhone even without a Google Drive backup. Pick the method that matches your situation and then follow the steps carefully.
