WhatsApp lets you back up to the cloud thanks to Google Drive. However, this is an option that the user must activate beforehand. If you have lost a conversation and want to recover it, but you realized that you had not activated the Google Drive copy option, in this article, we tell you how to do it in a very simple way.

How to restore WhatsApp chats without backup

In addition to the cloud backup, WhatsApp automatically backs up locally. To get to it, open the corresponding folder in the internal memory of your phone.

Access WhatsApp’s folderAccess WhatsApp’s folder

Inside the application directory, tap on the folder where the database is located.

Access the app’s database folderAccess the app’s database folder

Inside Databases, you will find all the backups WhatsApp has made in the last seven days. Each file contains the conversations you had with your contacts. How to restore a specific copy?

First, locate the file you want to use to recover your chats. You can easily identify it because the file name includes the date. Of course, you must choose the day before the day you deleted the chat you want to recover. On the other hand, if it exists, delete the file mgstore.db.crypt14.

View the backup history and select one of themView the backup history and select one of them

Select the copy to be restored, open the menu with the three vertical dots, and tap the button to rename the file.

Rename the copy you want to recoverRename the copy you want to recover

The name you must assign to the copy is the same as the name of the file you previously deleted, that is, mgstore.db.crypt14. Be sure to keep the file extension throughout the process.

Enter the new nameEnter the new name

Finally, uninstall WhatsApp and download its installation file from this page. Set up your account again and restore the backup when the wizard lets you do so.

Restore the backup during the configuration processRestore the backup during the configuration process

Regarding this method, you should take into account the following points:

  • We have mentioned it to you, but we must repeat it: WhatsApp saves locally the copies of the last 7 days. It is not possible to retrieve previous conversations.
  • Depending on your version of WhatsApp, the backup files may have the crypt12 or crypt13 extension. At all times, keep the corresponding extension to avoid errors.