Where exactly are WhatsApp chats saved?

[nuraman00]

I have them configured to be backed up to my Google Drive.

But when I look at my drive, I can never find them.

They are set to back up daily.

 

[SpookDroid]

These are an encrypted back up and are not user-facing (i.e. can't see the file in your Drive File Explorer). You can only manage that directly from the originating app (think cloud saves for games that enable it); only that app, with that session, can decrypt and manage/delete the data backup file.

 

[nuraman00]

Are chats backed up?

Would I be able to install WhatsApp on a new phone, and restore the chats that were on the old phone?

 

[SpookDroid]

Yes, but check the Chat Backup status on Whatsapp to make sure you've backed up your entire conversations (or up to whatever date/time the status show). Once you sign into the new phone and transfer your Whatsapp account, it will prompt you to restore chats either from a local file or from a cloud account (Remember, Whatsapp backs up both to a local file on your phone and to the cloud backup).

 

[nuraman00]

Yes, but check the Chat Backup status on Whatsapp to make sure you've backed up your entire conversations (or up to whatever date/time the status show). Once you sign into the new phone and transfer your Whatsapp account, it will prompt you to restore chats either from a local file or from a cloud account (Remember, Whatsapp backs up both to a local file on your phone and to the cloud backup).

It says Last Backup:

Local: 2:00AM
Google Drive: 5:49 AM
Size: 232 MB.

So it appears that it is backed up.

And I have "Back Up To Google Drive: Daily".

So when I sign into a new phone, can you explain at approximately what point it asks to restore, and the approximate phrasing it uses? Thanks.

 

[Ben xfg]

It says Last Backup:

Local: 2:00AM
Google Drive: 5:49 AM
Size: 232 MB.

So it appears that it is backed up.

And I have "Back Up To Google Drive: Daily".

So when I sign into a new phone, can you explain at approximately what point it asks to restore, and the approximate phrasing it uses? Thanks.

When you open WhatsApp on your new phone for the first time you'll have to accept the user agreement, then you'll be asked to enter and verify your phone number.
After you've verified your number it will check for existing local backups on your device, and if nothing is found it will check the Google accounts on your phone for a backup tied to your phone number. If one is found, you will be able to choose if you want to restore it.
Note that if you choose not to restore initially then you will not be able to do it later either.

 

[mustang7757]

I have them configured to be backed up to my Google Drive.

But when I look at my drive, I can never find them.

They are set to back up daily.

You using a Note 4?

 

[nuraman00]

When you open WhatsApp on your new phone for the first time you'll have to accept the user agreement, then you'll be asked to enter and verify your phone number.
After you've verified your number it will check for existing local backups on your device, and if nothing is found it will check the Google accounts on your phone for a backup tied to your phone number. If one is found, you will be able to choose if you want to restore it.
Note that if you choose not to restore initially then you will not be able to do it later either.

Thanks you!

You using a Note 4?

Yes.

 

[mustang7757]

Thanks you!



Yes.

What Andriod version its running? 5 or 6

 

[nuraman00]

What Andriod version its running? 5 or 6

6

 

[nuraman00]

I'm asking these questions because hopefully this year I make a decision on a new phone. So I want to prepare myself for what is to come (restoring stuff).

 

[Ben xfg]

I'm asking these questions because hopefully this year I make a decision on a new phone. So I want to prepare myself for what is to come (restoring stuff).

If you open google drive and slide open the hamburger (three lines) menu you'll find a Backups folder where backups are stored.

 

[SpookDroid]

What Andriod version its running? 5 or 6

This is actually a good point... check Whatsapp's update posts and requirements. They already pulled support for older Android versions, so yours might not be too far behind (if not already set to have an EOL deadline).

 

[mustang7757]

This is actually a good point... check Whatsapp's update posts and requirements. They already pulled support for older Android versions, so yours might not be too far behind (if not already set to have an EOL deadline).

Yeah thats what im thinking

 

[mustang7757]

6

You going be running into compatibility issues and this might be one of them

 

[SpookDroid]

Currently their requirement is Android 4.1 and newer. So getting pretty close there.
https://faq.whatsapp.com/general/do...on/about-supported-operating-systems/?lang=en

 

[nuraman00]

If you open google drive and slide open the hamburger (three lines) menu you'll find a Backups folder where backups are stored.

Thank you. This helps to confirm.

On my WhatsApp chat backup info, it says last backup to Google Drive is 4:46 AM.

When I go to Google Drive --> Backups, I see 3 backups:

Galaxy Note 4 backup
Galaxy Tab S4 backup
WhatsApp backup, 4:46 AM.

So this checks out.

How do I see my backups on Google Drive if I view Google Drive from a PC?

 

[Ben xfg]

How do I see my backups on Google Drive if I view Google Drive from a PC?

If the side menu is expanded the Backups folder should be listed.

 

[mustang7757]

Thank you. This helps to confirm.

On my WhatsApp chat backup info, it says last backup to Google Drive is 4:46 AM.

When I go to Google Drive --> Backups, I see 3 backups:

Galaxy Note 4 backup
Galaxy Tab S4 backup
WhatsApp backup, 4:46 AM.

So this checks out.

How do I see my backups on Google Drive if I view Google Drive from a PC?

You can't see your back up it's in cloud and gets restored once that app is installed and opened