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Restore WhatsApp application and messages#

July 1, 2025

Restore WA 1

Deleted WhatsApp from your phone and all data associated with it is gone? In most cases, the app and messages can be restored. In this article, we will discuss how to do this step by step.

  1. Check for the applicationn
  2. Restore the application
  3. Restore chats
  4. Conclusion

1. Check for the applicationn#

Before you begin the recovery, make sure that the app is actually removed and not just hidden or moved on your smartphone. Here's how to check:

  1. Open your phone's settings
  2. Go to the Apps section (the name of the section may vary depending on the phone model)
  3. Select All apps (the name of the section may vary depending on the phone model)
  4. Enter WhatsApp in the search bar

If the app is listed, then it is installed, but its shortcut was accidentally hidden or moved. Check all the folders on the home screen, the application menu, and other sections of your phone.

2. Restore the application#

If the app is not found or is not working properly, you will have to delete it and reinstall it. Before deleting, be sure to back up your chats!

How to backup WhatsApp before deleting#

On Android: 1. Open WhatsApp and tap the three vertical dots in the upper right corner of the screen 2. Go to Settings - Chats - Chat backup 3. Select the Google account where the backup will be saved 4. Tap Backup

On iPhone: 1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings - Chats - Backup 2. Tap Back up (make sure you have iCloud backup enabled)

Deleting WhatsApp#

  1. Find WhatsApp in the list of installed apps (as described above)
  2. Tap the Delete button
  3. Confirm the action

Restore WhatsApp from the official app store#

The easiest way to get WhatsApp back is to install it from the official app store:

  1. For Android: Open Google Play Store
  2. For iPhone: Open App Store
  3. Find WhatsApp
  4. Click the Install button
  5. Wait for the download and installation to complete

After installation, WhatsApp will appear on the home screen.

Installing from an APK file (Android only)#

If you can't find WhatsApp in the app store, you can install it manually on Android devices by downloading the APK file from the official WhatsApp website:

  1. Go to the official WhatsApp website
  2. Scroll down to the Android section
  3. Select Download WhatsApp directly and wait for the file to download
  4. Open the file using a file manager (e.g. File Explorer)
  5. Click the Install button

When installing from an APK file, you may be asked for permission to install apps from unknown sources.

3. Restore chats#

WhatsApp provides several ways to get your chats and media back.

Restore from Google Drive (Android)#

If you have created a backup on Google Drive, follow these steps:

  1. Make sure your Android device is linked to the Google account where the backup is stored
  2. Install and open WhatsApp on the device, verify your phone number
  3. When prompted to restore chats and media from Google Drive, click the Restore button
  4. Once the restore process is complete, click the Next button. Chats will appear after the initialization is complete
  5. WhatsApp will continue to restore media files after the chats appear

Restoring from a local backup (Android)#

If you have a local backup, you will need to transfer these files to your phone:

  1. Connect your phone to your computer or use an SD card (if your phone has one)
  2. On your computer (or using a file manager on your phone), find and open the WhatsApp folder, then the Databases folder
  3. Copy the latest backup file (usually the file is called msgstore.db.crypt14 or msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt14, where YYYY-MM-DD is the date the backup was created) to your computer or SD card
  4. Install WhatsApp on your phone
  5. Paste the copied file into the Databases folder on your phone (if you have an SD card, then put the file on the SD card, if not, then on the internal memory of the phone)
  6. Open the WhatsApp application and verify your number phone
  7. When prompted to restore chats and media files from a local backup, click the Restore button

Important to remember: With default settings, local backups are created automatically every day at 2am and stored on the phone for 7 days.

Restore from iCloud (iPhone)#

On iPhone, backups are stored in iCloud. Here's how to restore chats:

  1. Make sure iCloud Drive is enabled in your iPhone's settings
  2. Install and open WhatsApp
  3. Verify your phone number
  4. When prompted to restore from iCloud, tap Restore Chat History
  5. Wait for the process to complete.

What to do if there is no backup#

If for some reason you did not make a backup, or it is missing, then there are several ways to try to partially restore the correspondence.

Export chat: Ask the interlocutor to export the chat with you and send you this file. To do this, you need to do the following:

  1. Open the conversation with the desired contact
  2. Tap the three dots (Android) or the name of the interlocutor (iPhone)
  3. Select Export chat
  4. Choose whether you want to include media files
  5. Send the received file (for example, by email or via messenger)

Unfortunately, this will allow you to view the chat, but not restore it in WhatsApp.

Third-party programs (with caution!): There are third-party programs that claim to be able to recover deleted data from Android and iPhone.

Be aware of the risks! Using such programs may involve a breach of privacy and potential data loss. Install only verified applications from trusted sources. Such programs can help to recover photos and videos, but text messages are usually not recoverable.

4. Conclusion#

There are various options to restore WhatsApp and even lost correspondence. Restoring WhatsApp chats is a process that requires a backup. Follow our tips to keep your correspondence safe.

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