Surely, on more than one occasion you have made a backup copy of WhatsApp on your mobile. These copies are especially useful when we change phones or if we accidentally delete a chat that we needed. But, Where is the WhatsApp backup saved? Is it possible to see it without having to restore it? How do you restore a backup? Let's see.
On mobile phones with Android operating system, WhatsApp backups are saved to Google Drive and local storage of the telephone. And, in the case of iPhones, these copies are stored in the iCloud account. Next, let's take a closer look at this matter.
Where is the WhatsApp backup saved?
Where is the WhatsApp backup saved? For many years, this messaging application has allowed us to make copies or backups. These copies allow us to recover messages, photos, audios and videos that have been deleted from WhatsApp chats. In addition, they are the best way to recover our conversations when we change phones.
If you have an Android phone, the backup will be saved to your Google Drive account. However, a backup is also made to your mobile's internal storage or to an SD card (if you have one). Now, in the case of iPhone mobiles, the backup copy is saved in your iCloud account. Next, let's talk about each of these destinations.
On Google Drive
On an Android phone, WhatsApp backup is saved to Google Drive. It is in this safe place where you will be able to recover your conversations when you download WhatsApp on a new mobile phone, or if at any time you delete them by mistake. However, it is good that you keep in mind that It is not possible to view or download backups from Google Drive itself.
If you would like to check where WhatsApp backup is saved on your Android mobile, follow the steps below:
- Enter Google Drive from your Google account
- Tap the gear icon and select “Settings.”
- In the pop-up menu that opens, tap on "Manage applications", an option located in the upper left part of the screen.
- There you can see a list with all the apps that are synchronized with Drive. Look for WhatsApp in the list.
- If WhatsApp appears, then your backup is stored in Google Drive.
Keep in mind that The above steps will only help you check that your WhatsApp backup has been saved to Drive. But, you will have no choice but to disconnect WhatsApp from Drive in order to cancel the backup. Remember that from your Google Drive account it will not be possible to view chat messages or download them.
In local storage
Secondly, WhatsApp backup is usually saved on your phone's local storage, either internal storage or an SD card. Since this option is activated by default, the backup will be saved in folders that have the name msgstore-yyyy-mm-dd-.db-crypt14.
The above terminations correspond to the year, month and day the backup was made. In fact, the WhatsApp app itself indicates that local backups occur daily at 2:00 in the morning. Of course, this does not mean that you cannot make a copy manually. You can do it whenever you want by going to Settings – Chats – Backup – Save.
On the other hand, in your phone storage There is also a folder called Backups. The information related to your WhatsApp profile is saved there. Therefore, we recommend that you never delete the folders that we mention at this point to avoid complications with your WhatsApp.
In iCloud account
Finally, if you use an iPhone, the WhatsApp backups you have created will be saved to your iCloud account. If you have not yet backed up your WhatsApp chats on your iPhone, do the following:
- Open WhatsApp on your iPhone.
- Now, go to Settings.
- From there, click on Chats – Backup – Back up now.
- Ready. From that moment Your messages and multimedia files sent in chats will be saved to your iCloud account.
Keep in mind that It is possible to configure backups to take place automatically. To achieve this, you must enter the Automatic Copy option and choose the frequency you want. Thus, a backup will be saved periodically on your iCloud account. Don't forget that if you want the videos to also be saved, you must select the option manually.
How to restore a WhatsApp backup?
Since we already know where the WhatsApp backup is saved, it is good to know how this copy or backup is restored. First, let's see how to restore the copy that was saved in Drive. To do this, uninstall and install WhatsApp again, verify your phone number and click on Restore – Next and that's it.
In second place, How to restore a WhatsApp backup saved on your mobile? To achieve this, you must transfer the files or folders where the backup was saved to a PC or SD card. Later, you must transfer those files to the new phone or insert the SD card.
Lastly, you must install WhatsApp again, verify your number and click on Restore – Next and that's it. This will restore copies of chats corresponding to the last 7 days.
Finally, How to restore a WhatsApp backup from your iCloud account? If you changed your phone, you just have to install WhatsApp again. But if you have the same one, you will have to delete the application and reinstall it. Once done, enter the app, verify your number and Apple ID and tap Restore chat history. This way you can recover your conversations.
Since I was very young I have been very curious about everything related to scientific and technological advances, especially those that make our lives easier and more entertaining. I love staying up to date with the latest news and trends, and sharing my experiences, opinions and advice about the equipment and gadgets I use. This led me to become a web writer a little over five years ago, primarily focused on Android devices and Windows operating systems. I have learned to explain in simple words what is complicated so that my readers can understand it easily.