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How to decrypt encrypted whatsapp messages


[2023] How to Read Encrypted WhatsApp Messages on Android Without Keys

by Jenefey Aaron   Updated on 2022-12-16 / Update for  WhatsApp Tips

One of the reasons why WhatsApp becomes one of the most popular messaging services is because of the strong security feature. It encrypts messages from end to end, so the only ones who can read those messages are the sender and the receiver - unless someone else can open either the sender’s or receiver’s phones.

But sometimes even the owner of the phone can’t access his/her phones due to technical glitches. If you can’t access your own phone, can you still read your encrypted WhatsApp messages?

  • Part 1. Types of WhatsApp Message Encryptions
  • Part 2. How to Decrypt WhatsApp crypt12/8 Database without Keys?
  • Bonus Tip: How to Read Deleted WhatsApp Messages on Android without Root?

Part 1. Types of WhatsApp Message Encryptions

In September 2012, WhatsApp introduced end-to-end encryption as one of its security features. This step is taken to prevent session hijacking and packet analysis which often happened before.

WhatsApp uses crypt2, crypt5, crypt7, crypt8 and crypt12 form to encrypt all data. It means that hacking the database files to read all chat messages has become almost impossible.

But there are tricks that you can use to decrypt the database without key and support files. You can use this method to access your conversations.

Part 2. How to Decrypt WhatsApp crypt12/8 Database without Keys?

The trick below works on reading encrypted WhatsApp messages Android devices. Before you start, you need to do is to create a copy of your WhatsApp database to make sure that you don’t destroy the original file.

To do that, open your Android File Explorer or File Browser. Then create a new folder or the SD card. Then navigate to this location your SD card: /WhatsApp/Databases/msgstore.db.crypt. Then copy the msgstore.db.crypt files into the new folder that you’ve just created.

  • Method 1. (For Rooted Devices) Decrypt WhatsApp Database crypt12 without Key on PC
  • Method 2. (For Unrooted Devices) Read WhatsApp Database crypt12 without Key on PC

Method 1. (For Rooted Devices) Decrypt WhatsApp Database crypt12 without Key on PC

Whatsapp encrypts all data into .crypt5/7/8/12 format. But on a rooted Android phone, you can easily decrypt and read these encrypt messages with Whatsapp Viewer.

  • Find your WhatsApp message backup file i.e. msgstore.db.crypt12 from Device Storage/WhatsApp/Database.

  • Find your Key file which contains the decryption key to decrypt an encrypted file from /data/data/com.whatsapp/files/key.

  • Connect your phone to your PC and copy the database file with name msgstore.db.cryptX. and key file to your computer.

  • Download and install Whatsapp Viewer on your computer. Open Whatsapp Viewer and go to file > Decrypt .crypt12.

  • Now you have to load your database file and key file. Click on "..." button next to database file box to import it and do the same for Key file. After that, click OK to decrypt the database file.

  • When you see the message "Database decrypted to file msgstore.decrypted.db", the decryption is completed. You will find a file named "msgstore.decrypted.db" in the folder where you stored the database file and key file.

  • Run WhatsApp viewer again and click File>Open. Click on "..." button to import your msgstore.decrypted.db file and click OK.

  • Now you can select the mobile number at the right panel and see the chats of it at the left panel. You can export the in the format of .txt/.html/.json if you want.

Method 2. (For Unrooted Devices) Read WhatsApp Database crypt12 without Key on PC

To decrypt the database into something that understandable for the human, we can use the help from one of the decryption apps available in the Google Play Store. The recommended app that you can use is Omni-crypt . It can easily decrypt WhatsApp Database without root. Please note that to decrypt database above crypt6 version, you would need the WhatsApp-Key-DB-Extractor to extract the encryption key.

  • Connect your Android phone to a computer. Download and install Omni-crypt on your Android device.
  • Download WhatsApp-Key-DB-Extractor to your computer from github.com.

  • Open the WhatsApp-Key-DB-Extractor folder and find the file named WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.sh. Right click on it and select Properties.

  • From the Permissions tab, check the box before Allow executing file as program.

  • After that, running WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.sh file in Terminal on Mac.

  • When it prompts you to unlock your device and confirm the backup operation, open your Android phone and click BACK UP MY DATA.

  • Waiting for WhatsAppKeyDBExtract to restore WhatsApp and once the operation completed, press Enter to quit the Terminal.

  • Now open Omni-crypt on your Android phone. Tap on ENABLE CRYPT 6-12 BACKUPS and then tap on DECRYPT WHATSAPP DATABASE.

  • Now open WhatsApp-Key-DB-Extractor folder and go to extracted folder. Here you can see ‘msgstore.db’ and ‘wa.db’ files. ‘msgstore.db’ stores all the messages along with attachments and ‘wa.db’ stores all the information related to the contacts.

  • Use a utility called ‘Whatsapp Viewer’ and give the path of ‘msgstore.db’ and ‘wa.db’. You will see all the chat messages, that were extracted from the database.

Bonus Tip: How to Read Deleted WhatsApp Messages on Android without Root?

That’s all about how to read encrypted WhatsApp messages. The steps are a little complicated for ordinary users. If you are looking for a way to read deleted WhatsApp messages, Tenorhare UltData for Android offers you an easy way to recover WhatsApp messages and contacts from Android without root.

  • After you have downloaded the software, you come to the main interface bellow. Click on Recover WhatsApp Data and then connect your mobile to the computer.

  • Then you need to authorize and usb debugging your Android phone to be correctly connected.

  • After the software detects your Android device, click on Start to begin the process.

  • Now it's time to scan and preview what data has been listed. Just choose what you want to recover. Finally, save the files to your computer or device successfully and take a closer look at them.

Summary

Now you have learned about how to decrypt WhatsApp database on Android phone. Even though we are not touching the original databases, there is always a possibility that our actions ruin them. It’s always better to backup your data firstly. And if you are looking for an easy way to read deleted WhatsApp messages on Android without root, Tenorhare UltData for Android is highly recommended.

  Updated on 2022-12-16 / Update for  WhatsApp Tips

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[3 Ways] How to Read Encrypted WhatsApp Messages

WhatsApp is the world's most popular messaging app that is used in over 100 countries and has over 2 billion active users. One of the reasons behind WhatsApp's popularity is its emphasis on user privacy and protection of their private chats through end-to-end encryption. WhatsApp ensures that only the sender and receiver can access and read the message, and no one else, even WhatsApp, can access those chats.

This encrypted chatting experience has what made billions of users trust the platform and communicate with their family, friends, and customers without worries of security. However, there are still ways to read encrypted WhatsApp messages, which is what this article is going to discuss. Here you will learn 3 ways on how to read encrypted WhatsApp messages.

  • Part 1. What Is WhatsApp End-to-End Encryption

  • Part 2. Can You Read Encrypted Messages

  • Part 3. How to Read Encrypted WhatsApp Messages

    • 1. Read Encrypted Messages with WhatsApp Recovery Tool

    • 2. Read Encrypted Messages via WhatsApp Web

    • 3. Read Encrypted Messages via WhatsApp Viewer

  • Bonus: How to Disable End-To-End Encryption in WhatsApp

Part 1. What Is WhatsApp End-to-End Encryption

As the name implies, WhatsApp end-to-end encryption is the encryption of chat between you and the other person you are contacting. With end-to-end encryption, WhatsApp ensures that only you and the recipient can read/listen to the messages sent/received, and no one in between, not even WhatsApp, can access those messages. When you do a chat with someone on WhatsApp, your messages are protected with a lock, and only the other person (recipient) and you have the key to unlock the message. WhatsApp deploys crypt2, crypt5, crypt7, crypt8, crypt12, and crypt14 encryption forms to encrypt the chat data. Moreover, all this end-to-end encryption is performed automatically in the background.

Part 2. Can You Read Encrypted Messages

Yes, you can read encrypted WhatsApp messages. There are different tools and techniques that you can use to access encrypted messages. However, most techniques require access to the targeted phone at least for a short period of time. So, if you somehow have access to the targeted phone, then follow the next part to learn how to decrypt WhatsApp messages on Android.

Part 3. How to Read Encrypted WhatsApp Messages

Now that we know what is WhatsApp end-to-end encryption, let's now discuss the best-proven ways on how to decrypt WhatsApp messages without key.

1. Read Encrypted Messages with WhatsApp Recovery Tool

The best way to read encrypted WhatsApp messages is to recover them using a WhatsApp recovery tool. And who else can serve the job efficiently other than WooTechy iSeeker WhatsApp Recovery, the leading WhatsApp data recovery tool.

It is a top-class Android data recovery tool that is designed to recover WhatsApp messages directly from the phone's storage. Its click-based interface just takes a few minutes to scan, preview, and recover WhatsApp data from almost any Android device.

Follow the below steps to learn how to decrypt WhatsApp messages on Android with iSeeker for Android:

Step 1. Select Recover WhatsApp Data from Device Storage.

Step 2. Connect your phone to the computer. Allow USB debugging on your Android or tap Trust this computer on your iOS device. Choose a place to store restored data and click on Start.

Step 3. iSeeker will then scan your device for the WhatsApp data. After scanning is completed, click Next to continue.

Step 4. Enter your phone number and verify your account according to the prompt on the screen. Then iSeeker will display all the chats on the screen, preview and choose the chats you want to restore and then click Recover to Device or Recover to PC.

This way, you can read encrypted messages from a simple click-based process of iSeeker WhatsApp Recovery. You can even select the chats and recover them to the device or PC.

2. Read Encrypted Messages via WhatsApp Web

You can read encrypted messages by logging in to WhatsApp Web using the targeted phone. WhatsApp Web provides web access to WhatsApp from any browser of your choice. So, if you have access to the targeted phone, you can use it to log in to WhatsApp Web and then access all the chats. Follow the below steps to read encrypted messages from WhatsApp web:

Open WhatsApp Web on any browser from your PC.

Open WhatsApp on the targeted phone and click the 3-dot icon from the top right corner.

Click Linked devices and then click Link a Device.

Scan the QR code from WhatsApp Web. Once done, your WhatsApp messages will load on the browser.

This way, you can access the encrypted messages of the targeted phone via the WhatsApp web. Moreover, WhatsApp has recently introduced a Beta version, which now allows users to access and read encrypted messages via WhatsApp Web even if the phone has no internet connection. This implies that you don't have to continuously remain online on the phone to access messages on WhatsApp Web.

3. Read Encrypted Messages via WhatsApp Viewer

You can read encrypted messages from your PC using the WhatsApp Viewer tool. The only pre-requirement to use WhatsApp Viewer is that you have to root the phone. Follow the below steps to learn how to read encrypted WhatsApp messages using WhatsApp Viewer:

Open File Manager and then click WhatsApp > Database. Look for the backup file named mgstore.db.cryt14.

Now look for the Key file that contains the decryption key. To access the Key file, go to "/data/data/com. whatsapp/files/key".

Connect the phone to the PC via USB cable and copy both the "mgstore.db.cryt14" and "Key" files to the PC.

Download and launch WhatsApp Viewer on your PC.

Click File from the top left corner and then click "Decrypt.crypt14".

In the pop-up window, upload the database and Key file you copied to your PC and click Decrypt.

After the decryption is completed, you will see the "msgstore.decrypted.db" file in the exact storage location where the other two files are stored.

Click on File again from WhatsApp Viewer and then click Open. Under the section File, upload the decrypted file and click OK.

That's it! You can now look at all the chats on that phone. You can select the phone number from the left side and then look at the chats from the right side. Moreover, you can even export the file in different formats, such as HTML, JSON, and text.

Bonus: How to Disable End-To-End Encryption Backup in WhatsApp

If you want to disable end-to-end encryption in WhatsApp, here is the guide. Follow the below steps to disable end-to-end encryption in WhatsApp:

Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.

Click Chats > Chat Backup > End-to-end encrypted backup.

Click Turn Off and then enter the password.

Re-confirm that you want to turn off end-to-end encryption by clicking Turn Off.

Conclusion

The end-to-end encryption of WhatsApp has made it become the most popular messaging app in the world. But that does not mean you can never read encrypted messages. Above we have discussed the 3 ways on how to read encrypted WhatsApp messages.

However, if you want a guaranteed instant approach to reading encrypted messages, then iSeeker WhatsApp recovery is the best choice for you. Its click-based interface, deep scans, and instant access to encrypted messages make it a perfect tool to access encrypted WhatsApp messages.

How to read encrypted WhatsApp messages on Android without keys

One of the reasons WhatsApp is becoming one of the most popular messaging services is because of its powerful security feature. It encrypts messages end to end, so the only people who can read those messages are the sender and the recipient - unless someone else can open the sender's or recipient's phones.

But sometimes even the phone owner cannot access their phones due to technical failures. If you can't access your own phone, can you still read encrypted WhatsApp messages?

  • Part 1: WhatsApp message encryption types
  • Part 2: How to decrypt whatsapp crypt12/8 database without keys?
  • Bonus tip: How to read deleted whatsapp messages on android without root?

Part 1: WhatsApp Message Encryption Types

In September 2012, WhatsApp introduced data encryption as a security feature. This step is taken to prevent session hijacking and packet sniffing that often happened in the past. And WhatsApp uses the forms crypt2, crypt5, crypt7, crypt8 and crypt12 to encrypt all data. This means that hacking the database files to read all chat messages has become almost impossible.

But there are tricks you can use to decrypt the database without keys and supporting files. You can use this method to access your conversations.

Part 2: How to decrypt whatsapp crypt12/8 database without keys?

The trick below works when reading encrypted WhatsApp messages on Android devices. Before you start, you need to create a copy of your WhatsApp database to make sure you haven't destroyed the original file.

To do this, open Android Explorer or a file browser. Then create a new folder or SD card. Then navigate to this location on your SD card: /WhatsApp/Databases/msgstore.db.crypt. Then copy the msgstore.db.crypt files to the new folder you just created.

  • Method 1. (For rooted devices) Decrypt crypt12 WhatsApp database without key on PC
  • Method 2. (For non-rooted devices) Read crypt12 WhatsApp database without key on PC

Method 1. (For rooted devices) Decrypt crypt12 WhatsApp database without key on PC

Whatsapp encrypts all data in .crypt5/7/8/12 format. But on a rooted Android phone, you can easily decrypt and read these encrypted messages with Whatsapp Viewer.

  • Locate the backup file of your WhatsApp message, such as msgstore.db.crypt 12, in device storage / WhatsApp /Database.

  • Find your key file containing the decryption key to decrypt the encrypted file from /data/data/com.whatsapp/files/key.

  • Connect your phone to your computer and copy the database file named msgstore.db.crypt. and the key file to your computer.

  • Download and install Whatsapp Viewer on your computer. Open Whatsapp Viewer and navigate to File > Decrypt . crypt12.

  • Now you need to download the database file and the key file. Click on the "..." button next to the database file field to import it and do the same for the key file. After that click OK to decrypt the database file.

  • When you see the message "Database has been decrypted to msgstore.decrypted.db", decryption is complete. You will find a file called "msgstore.decrypted.db" in the folder where you stored the database file and the key file.

  • Launch the WhatsApp viewer again and click File > Open. Click on the "..." button to import the msgstore.decrypted.db file and click OK.

  • You can now select a mobile phone number in the right panel and view its chats in the left panel. You can export it in .text / .html / .json format if you like.

Method 2. (For devices without root) Read crypt12 WhatsApp database without key on PC

To decrypt the database into something human-readable, we can use the help of one of the decryption apps available on the Google Play store. The recommended application that you can use is Omni-crypt. It can easily decrypt whatsapp database without root. Please note that in order to decrypt a database above crypt6 version, you will need whatsapp-key-db-extractor to extract the encryption key.

  • Connect your Android phone to your computer. Download and install Omni-crypt on your Android device.
  • Download whatsapp-key-db-extractor to your computer from github.com.

  • Open the WhatsApp-Key-DB-Extractor folder and find the file named WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.sh . Right-click on it and select Properties.

  • On the Permissions tab, select the Allow executing file as a program check box.

  • After that run WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.sh file in Terminal on Mac.

  • When prompted to unlock your device and confirm the backup operation, open your Android phone and tap BACKUP MY DATA.

  • Wait for WhatsAppKeyDBExtract to restore WhatsApp and press Enter when finished to exit the Terminal.

  • Now open Omni-crypt on your Android phone. Click on ENABLE CRYPT BACKUP 6-12 and then click on WHATSAPP database DECRYPTION.

  • Now open the Whatsapp-Key-DB-Extractor folder and navigate to the extracted folder. Here you can see the 'msgstore.db' and 'wa.db' files. ‘msgstore.db' stores all messages along with attachments, while 'wa.db' stores all information related to contacts.

  • Use a utility called "Whatsapp Viewer" and specify the path to "msgstore.db" and "wa.db". You will see all chat messages that have been retrieved from the database.

Bonus tip: How to read deleted whatsapp messages on android without root?

That's all about how to read encrypted WhatsApp messages. These steps are a bit complicated for normal users. If you are looking for a way to read deleted WhatsApp messages, Tenorshare UltData for Android offers you an easy way to recover WhatsApp messages and contacts from Android without root.

  • Step 1 After you have downloaded the software, you go to the main interface below:

  • Step 2 Then you need to login and debug usb on your android phone to connect properly.

  • Step 3Now it's time to scan and see what data has been listed. Just choose what you want to recover.

  • Step 4 Finally, successfully save the files to your computer or device and take a look at them.

Conclusion

Now you have learned how to decrypt WhatsApp database on Android phone. Even though we don't touch the original databases, there is always a chance that our actions will corrupt them. It's always best to back up your data first. And if you are looking for an easy way to read deleted WhatsApp messages on Android without root, Tenorshare UltData for Android is highly recommended.

How to read encrypted Whatsapp messages on Android without keys

One of the reasons WhatsApp is becoming one of the most popular messaging services is its strong security feature. It encrypts messages end to end, so the only people who can read those messages are the sender and the recipient. But sometimes even the phone owner cannot access their phones due to technical glitches. Is it possible to read deleted messages in WhatsApp? How to read encrypted WhatsApp messages on Android without keys? Let's get a look.

  • Part 1: WhatsApp message encryption types
  • Part 2. How to read encrypted Whatsapp messages without keys?
  • Bonus tip: How to read a deleted Whatsapp message on Android without root?

Part 1: WhatsApp Message Encryption Types

In September 2012, WhatsApp implemented end-to-end encryption as one of its security features. This step is taken to prevent session hijacking and packet sniffing, which often happened in the past.

WhatsApp uses the form crypt 2, crypt5, crypt7, crypt8 and crypt 12 to encrypt all data. This means that hacking the database files to read all chat messages has become almost impossible.

But there are tricks you can use to decrypt the database without keys and support files. You can use this method to access your conversations.

Part 2. How to read deleted Whatsapp messages without keys?

The trick below works when reading encrypted WhatsApp messages on Android devices. Before you start, you need to create a copy of the WhatsApp database to make sure you don't destroy the original file.

To do this, open the Android File Explorer or File Browser. Then create a new folder or SD card. Then navigate to this location on your SD card: /WhatsApp/Databases/msgstore.db.crypt. Then copy the msgstore.db.crypt files to the new folder you just created.

  • Method 1. Decrypt WhatsApp crypt 12 database without key on PC(C Root)
  • Method 2. Read WhatsApp Database crypt12 without key on PC(No Root)

Method 1. Decrypt WhatsApp crypt 12 database without key on PC(C Root)

Whatsapp encrypts all data in . crypt format 5/7/8/12. But on a rooted Android phone, you can easily decrypt and read these encrypted messages with Whatsapp Viewer.

  • Locate the backup file of your WhatsApp message, such as msgstore.db.crypt 12, in Device Storage/WhatsApp/Database.

  • Find your key file containing the decryption key to decrypt the encrypted file from /data/data/com.whatsapp/files/key.

  • Connect your phone to your computer and copy the Database file named msgstore.db.crypt. and the key file to your computer.

  • Download and install Whatsapp Viewer on your computer. Open Whatsapp Viewer and go to File > Decrypt .crypt12.

  • Now you need to download the Database file and the key file. Click on the "..." button next to the Database file field to import it and do the same for the key file. Then click OK to decrypt the Database.

  • When you see the message "Database is decrypted to msgstore.decrypted.db", decryption is complete. You will find a file named "msgstore.decrypted.db" in the folder where you stored the Database file and the key file.

  • Launch WhatsApp viewer again and click File > Open. Click on the "..." button to import your msgstore.decrypted.db file and click OK.

  • You can now select a mobile phone number in the right panel and view its chats in the left panel. You can export it in .text / .html / .json format if you like.

Method 2. Read WhatsApp Database crypt12 without key on PC(No Root)

To decrypt Database into something human readable, we can use one of the decryption apps available on the Google Play Store. The recommended application that you can use is Omni-crypt. It can easily decrypt Database WhatsApp without root. Please note that in order to decrypt Database above crypt6 version, you will need WhatsApp-Key-DB-Extractor to extract the encryption key.

  • Connect your Android phone to your computer. Download and install Omni-crypt on your Android device.
  • Download WhatsApp-Key-DB-Extractor to your computer from github.com.

  • Open the WhatsApp-Key-DB-Extractor folder and find the file named WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.sh. Right click on it and select "Properties".

  • On the Permissions tab, check the box before allowing the file to run as a program.

  • After that, by running WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.sh file in terminal on Mac.

  • When prompted to unlock your device and confirm the backup operation, open your Android phone and tap BACK UP MY DATA.

  • Wait for WhatsAppKeyDBExtract to restore WhatsApp and press Enter when finished to exit the terminal.

  • Now open Omni-crypt on your Android phone. Click ENABLE CRYPT 6-12 BACKUPS and then click DECRYPT WHATSAPP DATABASE.

  • Now open the Whatsapp-Key-DB-Extractor folder and navigate to the extracted folder. Here you can see "msgstore.db" and "wa.db" files. "msgstore. db" stores all messages along with attachments, while "wa.db" stores all information related to contacts.

  • Use a utility called "Whatsapp Viewer" and specify the path to "msgstore.db" and "wa.db". You will see all chat messages that have been retrieved from the database.

Bonus tip: How to read a deleted Whatsapp message on Android without root?

This is all about how to read encrypted whatsapp messages. But the steps are a bit complicated for normal users. If you want to know how to read deleted WhatsApp messages, Tenorshare UltData for Android offers you an easy way to recover and read deleted WhatsApp messages from Android without root.