Home > Transfer WhatsApp > How to Recover Deleted Documents from WhatsApp

Linus Smith

December 7, 2021 (Updated: December 7, 2022)

4 min read

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WhatsApp offers backups and safety - with its end-to-end encryption. Hence, we also send documents by WhatsApp, like pictures, videos, audio, PDF, TXT, or DOC files. Even sensitive data are exchanged on WhatsApp.

Despite all these features of WhatsApp, you can still lose data from it. Documents may also be deleted from the app without the user knowing. That is one frustrating nightmare nobody wants to wake up to.

Fortunately, there is always a solution to every tech hitch. This post is a detailed guide on how to recover deleted documents from WhatsApp. Read on to find out more!

• Part 1. Possible Reasons for Documents Deleted from WhatsApp
• Part 2. The Best Ways to Recover Deleted Documents from WhatsApp [Android & iPhone]
• Part 3. 2 Other Ways to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Documents On Android
  • 1. Recover WhatsApp Documents via Google Backup
  • 2. Recover WhatsApp Deleted Documents From Google Drive Trash
• Part 4. 2 Other Ways to Recover Deleted Documents in iPhone WhatsApp
  • 1. Recover Documents from WhatsApp via iCloud Backup
  • 2. Recover Documents in WhatsApp from iTunes Backup

Possible Reasons for Documents Deleted from WhatsApp

Your WhatsApp cannot just automatically delete your files without certain factors coming into play. Some of these reasons include;

Unreliable antivirus software: Most smartphone users have antivirus software installed on their cellular devices. This software works by scanning the device repeatedly to prevent malware from infecting the device. If it finds malicious files, it deletes them without warning the user about them.

Deleting the documents by accident: Another possible reason for deleting WhatsApp documents may be by accidentally doing it. Since our device can multitask, we may end up deleting WhatsApp documents while trying to copy or transfer them.

Due to a virus attack: There are several things a virus can do to your device when it enters it. It may cause your device to freeze, malfunction, or go blank for a moment. It also damages the files on your device, such as videos, photos, PDF files, or even WhatsApp documents.

Factory resetting without full knowledge of what it means: A factory reset returns your device to the original state it was in from the factory. People do that oftentimes when they have issues with their cell phones. The factory reset options format every file on your device including the WhatsApp documents.

Other reasons include carelessly removing your phone while making a transfer and installing unreliable tools and apps.

The Best Ways to Recover Deleted Documents from WhatsApp [Android & iPhone]

The best way to recover deleted WhatsApp documents is using iMyFone ChatsBack. It is software designed to recover lost WhatsApp files from an Android phone and iPhone, Google Drive, or iTune. It is easy to use and has the highest success rate to recover the lost WhatsApp documents without backup.

Free Download

How to Recover WhatsApp Deleted Documents via iMyFone ChatsBack

Step 1. Launch the program on your computer. Connect your device to the computer and select Recover WhatsApp Data from Device Storage.

Step 2. For Android: Click Start to scan your device. Enter your phone number and SMS message to verify your phone number after scanning.

For iPhone: Choose WhatsApp Messager and click Start to scan your iPhone.

Step 3. Select the WhatsApp documents that you wish to recover after analyzing the database. Choose recover the WhatsApp documents to the computer or your device and click the corresponding button.

2 Other Ways to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Documents On Android

There are two other ways to recover deleted WhatsApp documents on Android. It can be through Google backup or Google drive trash. But before recovering, you must ensure that you have a copy of the message backed up there for recovery.

1. Recover WhatsApp Documents via Google Backup

WhatsApp has a feature that allows you to upload your chat daily, weekly, or monthly on Google. To recover deleted documents on WhatsApp, please follow the below steps;

1. Uninstall your WhatsApp and install it.
2. Verify your phone number and select “restore” when asked. Chats and documents uploaded to Google will be downloaded.

After the data is been restored, they will be displayed in your chat.

Note

1. You need to have the same Google account and phone number used in creating the backup.

2. Please ensure our device is linked to the Google account where the backup is uploaded.

3. If you don’t have your chat backed up in Google, WhatsApp will automatically back up the data on your device. It will give you the option to restore from local backup after reinstalling the application.

2. Recover WhatsApp Deleted Documents From Google Drive Trash

If you have backed up the documents but deleted them from the Google drive backup, then you should look in the Google drive trash as long as it is no more than a month. Here are the steps:

1. Tap the menu option on the top left corner of your Google drive app, scroll down to trash, and tap on it.
2. Select the file you want to save and tap on the more option. Then select restore. Your document will automatically be restored.

2 Other Ways to Recover Deleted Documents in iPhone WhatsApp

Unlike Android where WhatsApp chats and documents are backed up automatically at intervals, iPhone users do not enjoy this feature. However, WhatsApp made provisions for the users to back up their WhatsApp messages manually at any time they want. iCloud can also back up WhatsApp regularly.

1. Recover Documents from WhatsApp via iCloud Backup

To restore your documents from iCloud you need to make certain that the backup is available. Just the same way you back up your chats, you can also follow that procedure to view your backup history.

Just like in Androids, you need to uninstall and install the WhatsApp app. If you don’t have a backup, you shouldn’t uninstall your WhatsApp, or you will lose all your data.

Verify your phone number and follow the instructions to restore your documents. When restoring the documents from iCloud, you have to sign in with your Apple ID. The phone number on your iCloud account and WhatsApp has to match, plus you need storage space on your phone.

Possibly you don't have a backup of the file you want, you need data recovery software.

2. Recover Documents in WhatsApp from iTunes Backup

Synchronizing your iPhone to a computer with iTunes automatically generates a chat history, backed up in iTunes. To recover your documents, you have to connect your iPhone to the computer to restore your chats and documents in the same way as backing up them to iTunes.

Bottom Line

It is not impossible to recover deleted WhatsApp messages as far as you have the right configuration set beforehand. Despite the app having its features for backing up files and documents, sometimes you still need data recovery software. iMyFone has options for recovering any kind of WhatsApp data on your Android or iOS device. Click the icon to download the software today!

Free Download

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How to recover deleted WhatsApp photos on Android

Almost every user at least once in his life has experienced a situation when some important photos were - intentionally or accidentally - deleted from the correspondence in the WhatsApp application. The reasons for this can be very diverse: the images might seem unnecessary to you, and you deleted them yourself, and then realized it and decided to restore them; maybe your child or friend accidentally deleted some files from the chat on your device; or perhaps the photos disappeared after a crash in the program or as a result of an arbitrary shutdown of the device. In any case, this situation can be quickly corrected. About how to recover deleted photos in WhatsApp on Android , read further in our article.

• Method 1. How to recover deleted photos in WhatsApp -- The easiest
• Method 2: Search for WhatsApp photos in the phone's internal memory
• Method 3. How to restore photos in WhatsApp on Android from a backup
• Method 4. Restore WhatsApp photo on Android from pen pal

Method 1. How to recover deleted photos in WhatsApp -- The easiest

How to recover deleted photos in whatsapp? Here, let's get acquainted with the simplest and most reliable method. To quickly and easily recover deleted photos from WhatsApp on an Android phone, you can use specialized programs that will help you make the file recovery process as simple and efficient as possible. One of the best programs of this type is Tenorshare UltData WhatsApp Recovery. Download the installation file of the program from the official website of the developer, install it on your computer and follow the attached guide. nine0005

• Download and install Tenorshare UltData UltData WhatsApp Recovery on your computer and launch the software. Connect your device to your computer with a USB cable.

• There are 2 functions to choose from, select "Recover Whatsapp Data".

• Follow the on-screen instructions to enable USB debugging on your Android phone. After that, your Android phone will be detected automatically. Then click the "Start" button in the program. nine0005

• Sign in to your WhatsApp account on your device. If you have already done so, click the "Yes, I want to continue" button;

  Note: To avoid data loss, follow the on-screen instructions to backup WhatsApp;

• After Backup, UltData for Android will start scanning WhatsApp data on your device;

• After the scan is completed, all WhatsApp data will be displayed, including WhatsApp messages from a year ago. Select the messages you want to restore, then click the "restore" button. Also, you can preview them before restoring. nine0005

Video Tutorial: How to Recover WhatsApp Data with UltData for Android

This program will become your reliable assistant in recovering any type of files. Friendly interface and intuitive commands will make the whole process of data recovery convenient and comfortable for the user: a couple of mouse clicks and the necessary files will be available again on your computer. Below we offer you a brief overview of this program for review, and you can always find more detailed information, download versions and user reviews on the official website of the Tenorshare developer. So, the main features of UltData WhatsApp Recovery:

• Restore various types of data, including contacts, call history, SMS text messages, photos, videos, WhatsApp media files, etc.
• Support for over 6000 Android phones and tablets, including Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, OPPO, Moto Z, etc.
• Fully compatible with Android 12/11/10/9/8. 1/8/7/6/5/4.4 or iOS.
• Availability of the Russian-language version of the program.

Method 2: Search for WhatsApp photos in the phone's internal memory

If you only deleted the images you need from the WhatsApp chat, you can easily find them in the appropriate folder on your phone's internal memory. Provided, of course, that you have not disabled the function of automatically saving files to the memory of your device. To go to photos downloaded from WhatsApp conversations on your phone, follow the instructions below.

• Step 1. On your Android phone, open File Manager.
• Step 2: Select "Device Storage" and find the "WhatsApp" folder. nine0008

• Step 3. From the three folders inside, open the "Media" folder and then select the "WhatsApp Images" folder. All photos received through the application will be located here. In addition, here you will find the "Sent" folder, in which the images you sent are saved.

• Step 4: If desired, copy the photo data to a PC by connecting your phone to the computer with a USB cable.

Method 3. How to restore photos in whatsapp on android from backup

2.1. Restore from local backup

Before restoring images from a backup, save your phone's current files to another phone, computer, or external media. Then follow the instructions below.

• Step 1: Remove the WhatsApp application from your device.

• Step 2. Open File Manager. Select "Device Storage" and find the "WhatsApp" folder. From the three folders inside, open the "Databases" folder. This folder can contain up to 7 backup files that are stored for a maximum of a week. Select the backup file you need (the date of creation of each is displayed in the file name). nine0005

• Step 3: Rename the selected backup file from "msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12" to "msgstore.db.crypt12".
• Step 4: Download and install the application again, and then launch it.
• Step 5. When prompted to restore messages and media, select the Restore option. All files in the backup, including lost photos, will be available to you again in the WhatsApp conversation.

2.2 Restore from Google Drive Backup

If you have backed up WhatsApp chats to Google Drive, you can use them to recover deleted WhatsApp photos. To do this, it is important to remember the phone number and Google account that you used when creating the backup. Please note that only the most recent backup can be restored from Google Drive.

Method 4. Restore whatsapp photo on android from pen pal

In addition to using the above methods, you can simply ask your chat partner to send you the necessary images. Since you deleted the photo from the chat only on your device, then most likely the recipient / sender still has these photos in the correspondence. nine0005

Conclusion

So, in this article, we looked at 4 effective ways to restore photos in WhatsApp on Android. Each of these options is quite simple, does not require special knowledge or skills, and you can choose any of them based only on your personal preferences. But of course we advise you to try Tenorshare UltData WhatsApp Recovery because it is the easiest and most reliable even though you have deleted your Whatsapp photos. In the comments under this article, you can suggest your own ways to recover photos deleted from the WhatsApp application, as well as share your experience with our readers and tell us which of the methods listed in the article was useful for you! nine0005

How to recover deleted media files and photos sent to Whatsapp

Useful apps » Whatsapp

Updated: 01/09/2022, author - Ilya

Ilya is the editor-in-chief of the site softdroid.net. He is the author of several hundred guides and articles on Android setup. For about 15 years he has been repairing equipment and solving technical problems for iOS and Android. I dealt with almost all more or less popular brands of mobile smartphones and tablets Samsung, HTC, Xiaomi, etc. I use iPhone 12 and Samsung Galaxy S21 with the latest firmware version for testing. nine0005

Information about the author

Whatsapp photos are stored not only in correspondence. A file that you accidentally deleted from one location is likely to be found elsewhere: in a chat, backup, device file storage. If the search was unsuccessful, try to restore the image using recovery programs for Android and Windows.

Contents of :

Which folder contains Whatsapp photos

All photos sent from the device or sent (received) via WhatsApp are automatically saved. Where are Whatsapp photos placed? On Android devices, you will find messenger media in a folder called WhatsApp in the internal memory. nine0005

How to find "lost" photos:

1. Open File Manager + (or another file system navigator).
   
2. Navigate to the Media folder. Full path: Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Media
   
3. Within the WhatsApp directory there are three subfolders
4. Open Media, look for WhatsApp Images in it and see its content:
• WhatApp images - folder with photos
• WhatApp video - video folder

As a rule, if a photo is deleted from the correspondence, but not from the Smartphone Gallery, it can be found in the specified folders.

Note . On some models of smartphones and tablets, the folder with files from WhatsApp may not be located on the internal, but on removable media - a microsd memory card. This is usually found on Chinese devices with a modified (rooted) firmware.

Recovery method if photos are left in chats, but not in Gallery

New versions of the WhatsApp application announced a new feature: if you deleted a photo from the Gallery, then by going to the chat where this photo was, you can download it back to the gallery. However, this method of “rescue” is relevant only on the condition that you have not cleared the chat itself, the correspondence with its contents.

How to restore images from a backup file

In addition to Media, there is a Backup directory inside the WhatsApp folder where backups are stored. The messenger generates them automatically once a day/week/month (if this feature was previously enabled in the settings). By default, backups are made every night. nine0005

If you deleted a photo sent more than a day ago from the Android Gallery and chat, try restoring it from a backup copy. To restore files and correspondence from backup, you need:

1. Delete the WhatsApp messenger.
   
2. Download and install it again.
   
3. Enter a phone number to log into your account.
   
4. When the system prompts you to restore data from a backup, agree to the offer (click the "Restore" button). nine0137
5. Wait for installation and recovery to complete.

It is important to consider that the copy will contain files from 1 to 7 days old. It is possible that the documents you are looking for will not be in the archive.

In addition, it is desirable to set up a backup copy every day (to prevent accidental deletion of data). You can do this in the settings, section "Chats" → "Backup copy of chats".

How to recover photos from WhatsApp chat

In the latest version of WhatsApp, media files and documents are stored on the server. Any of them can be re-downloaded if the correspondence in which they were transferred was saved directly. You can do this in the mobile and browser versions of the messenger.

To open the browser version on a computer:

1. Go to web.whatsapp.com in a browser.
   
2. Open the app on your phone and scan the QR code (Settings → WhatsApp Web) .
   
3. Please wait until all data is loaded - the messenger can be used. nine0137

DiskDigger or Undeleter to search for a deleted photo on the phone's sd card

DiskDigger or Undeleter applications are useful when the correspondence with the desired image has not been saved, but it was previously downloaded to the smartphone's memory. The above applications allow you to find deleted files that have not yet been overwritten. The fact is that when deleting a file, it is not destroyed, but only marked as “suitable for overwriting”. Thanks to this, accidentally erased documents and multimedia can be found, especially if not much time has passed since the erasure. nine0005

The algorithm of actions in the mobile versions of DiskDigger or Undeleter is the same (but consider the first option):

1. Install and launch the DiskDigger application.
2. Choose the scanning path, in this case, the address of the folder with WhatsApp media files on the memory card (media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Media).
3. Select the scanning method: "Dig even deeper".
   
4. Select the file types to be scanned (eg jpg, png). nine0137
5. Waiting for the search to complete.
6. View the results, mark suitable files for recovery.
7. Choose where to save the recovered files and click "Save selected files".
   

Photo recovery on iPhone via Dr.Fone

I should note that this method is ineffective and will work in rare cases (if root access to the file system is provided, which is now rare for modern Android devices). For iPhone, the procedure is as follows:

1. Download Dr.fone (available for Windows, Mac OS) and run it on your computer.
2. Connect your iPhone to your computer with a USB cable.
3. Check "WhatsApp & Attachments".
4. Click the "Start Scan" button to scan the deleted WhatsApp images in the iPhone memory.
5. After the scan is completed, the recovered items (all found photos, videos) will appear in the categories. nine0008
6. Select from the list the files you want to recover from the chat
7. Click the Recover to Computer button.
8. Check the results.

Good to read : Can Dr Fone be trusted?

Restoring video from WhatsApp chat

We often get questions like this:

“In connection with the purchase of a new device, I transferred all information from Android to PC, made a WhatsApp backup, deleted the application from Android. All photos and videos were deleted, after I found out that they were not on the PC either. I downloaded WhatsApp again - photos and chats were restored, but no videos, covers remained in the gallery, and they have weight, but they are not reproduced! There were very important videos with the first steps of the child and family videos…”

Step-by-step instructions for recovering video from Whatsapp:

1. Open any file manager for Android.
2. Go to the internal storage and find the Whatsapp folder. It stores photos, videos, audio and other media objects.
3. Open the Whatsapp folder, find all the media files there and check their content.
4. If you don't find anything, go to your internal storage folder at Whatsapp > Trash.
5. If you can't find the video in the Trash, your content has been permanently deleted (and most likely cannot be restored on your phone). nine0008 Recuva You don't need root to recover photos with it, but it only works with the phone's sd card.

   Recuva analyzes the memory of the gadget connected to the computer and finds files with the required extension in it. Upon completion of the analysis, you can select the appropriate images and restore them in a couple of clicks.

   How to use Recuva and PhotoRec (video):

   The procedure for recovery is:

   1. Download, install and run Recuva.
   2. Select the medium on which the document was deleted.
   3. Start analysis.
   4. Select the desired file and restore it via the appropriate function.

   The last option is to ask the sender or recipient for a copy of the photo.

   Forwarded media is saved on the devices of all participants in the WhatsApp conversation. Therefore, if all else fails, there is one obvious and simple way - to contact the one with whom the correspondence and file exchange were conducted. The sender or recipient of the image you need can send it again, and you will save time: searching, configuring and trying to deal with Recuva and its analogues. nine0005

   How can I prevent accidental deletion of files in the future?

   The best way to recover photos is not to delete or lose them. If you follow these steps, you will reduce to zero the likelihood of losing valuable information.

   Simple steps:

   1. Make regular Whatsapp backups.
      
   2. In the backup settings, enable the "Add video" option to save a copy of this type of file.
      
   3. Synchronize Whatsapp with your Google account by connecting it through the messenger settings. nine0137
   4. Copy media files (photos, videos) to a safe place on your hard drive to avoid accidental deletion from your phone or when copying to Whatsapp.

   The bitter irony is that these steps should be taken BEFORE you delete something, not afterwards. So we advise, if you are already faced with the unpleasant problem of losing Whatsapp data, then take appropriate measures.

   Frequently Asked Questions

   Is it possible to recover WhatsApp photos from the phone's internal memory (folder - WhatsApp photos) that were deleted when clearing the cache? nine0004

   Theoretically, yes. In practice, it depends on many factors. First of all, this will require root access and the DiskDigger for Android application (as an option, Undeleter). We advise you not to hesitate, as photos may be overwritten by other applications.

   ---

   On the phone (OS Android 10) deleted the WhatsApp application. Accordingly, all photos and videos were deleted. How to restore them?

   1. Reinstall Whatsapp mobile app on Android via Play Store. nine0008
   2. Connect your account when launching the messenger for the first time.
   3. If there is a backup copy of Whatsapp data, you will be prompted to restore it. .
   4. Check if the files are displayed now.

   ---

   Photos and videos were dropped on WhatsApp. One fine day, empty windows appeared in the morning, then completely disappeared.

   The easiest way is to ask the other person to send the files again. Since Whatsapp does not store these files on its server, you can only restore data from a backup if you have one (on your phone or in Google Drive). nine0005

   ---

   When I open WhatsApp and they send me photos, they don't open. A notification appears: no sd card.

   1. The memory card may contain reading errors, which is why the messenger does not detect it. The solution to the problem is to check the media for errors according to the instructions.
   2. If no errors are found, you will have to format the sd card and / or restore data on it.

   ---

   We did a flashing of the phone. When installing Whatsapp, what was on the old one was restored.

   ---

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