Hack of the day: Recover deleted WhatsApp messages via cloud backup

'The Times of India' brings you 'Hack of the Day' — a new weekday-series of quick, practical solutions to everyday hassles. Each hack is designed to save you time, money or stress, using tools and features within your reach — from government websites to everyday apps. In simple words it is: Simple fixes for smarter living.

We've all been there — you're clearing out old chats on WhatsApp and accidentally delete a meaningful conversation. The panic sets in as you realise those precious messages, photos, or important information might be gone forever. But before you lose hope, WhatsApp's cloud backup feature can save the day. This simple trick allows you to recover accidentally deleted messages, provided you have a pre-existing backup and act quickly.

The key to recovery lies in WhatsApp's automatic backup system. The app regularly backs up your chats to Google Drive (on Android) or iCloud (on iPhone), creating a safety net for moments just like this. However, there's a catch: the backup must have been created before you deleted the messages. If your most recent backup was made after the deletion, those messages cannot be recovered through this method.

The recovery process involves reinstalling WhatsApp to trigger the restore prompt. Here's how to do it on both Android and iPhone devices. Follow the step-by-step guide to recover deleted WhatsApp messages on Android:

Steps to restore deleted WhatsApp messages from Google Drive backup

Step 1: Open WhatsApp, then tap the three vertical dots in the top-right corner. Navigate to Settings > Chats > Chat backup. Here you'll see the date and time of your last backup. This is crucial — if the backup was created before you deleted your messages, you're in luck. In future situations like this, always keep your WhatsApp chats backed up.


Also, make sure you're using the same phone number and Google Account that created the backup. Here's how you can recover deleted WhatsApp messages on iPhone

Step 2: Uninstall WhatsApp from your iPhone

Step 3: Reinstall WhatsApp from the App Store

Step 4: Open the app and verify your phone number

Step 5: When prompted, tap Restore Chat History to recover your conversations from iCloud.

Steps to recover deleted WhatsApp messages on iPhone

Here's how you can recover deleted WhatsApp messages on iPhone


Step 1: Check your iCloud backup: Open WhatsApp, then go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.


Check the "Last Backup" date to confirm it was before you deleted the messages. Ensure you are signed in with the same Apple ID used to create the backup.


Step 2: Reinstall and restore


Step 3: Uninstall WhatsApp from your iPhone


Step 4: Reinstall WhatsApp from the App Store


Step 5: Open the app and verify your phone number


Step 6: When prompted, tap Restore Chat History to recover your conversations from iCloud

Important things to rememberYou will lose recent messages: Restoring an older backup will replace your current chat history. Any messages sent or received after the backup was created will be permanently lost.

Backups are replaced: WhatsApp keeps only the most recent cloud backup. A new backup will overwrite the old one, making previous versions unrecoverable through this method.

Same phone number and account: To restore your chats, you must use the same phone number and Google Account (for Android) or iCloud account (for iPhone) that you used to back up your chat history.

Restore window is crucial: The restore prompt only appears during the initial setup after a fresh install. If you accidentally skip this step, you will have to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp to see the prompt.