How to Restore WhatsApp Chats: With or Without Backup

Part 1: How to Restore WhatsApp Chats on iPhone/Android with Backup?

If you have been using WhatsApp, then you might already know that the app lets us back up our data on iCloud (for iPhone) or Google Drive (for Android). Ideally, the process to restore WhatsApp chats from a previous backup is the same for both iPhone and Android.

Before you learn how to restore WhatsApp chats, make sure you meet the following prerequisites:

• There should be an existing WhatsApp backup present on iCloud or Google Drive for your account.
• Your iPhone or Android device should be connected to the same iCloud or Google Drive account where the backup is saved.
• While setting up your WhatsApp account, you have to use the same phone number that was registered before.

How to Restore WhatsApp Chats with a Backup?

Before reinstalling WhatsApp or creating a new backup: Check whether your existing backup was created before the chats were deleted and preserve any available backup files. A new backup made after deletion may replace an older copy you need. If you cannot find a usable backup, review the Android Advanced Recovery option before changing the app or its data.

Great! Now, you just have to reinstall WhatsApp on your device and set up your account. Once you enter the same phone number, WhatsApp will detect the presence of an existing backup. You can now just tap on the “Restore” button and wait as the app would extract and load your chats.

Important Note:

If WhatsApp couldn’t restore chat history, then it means there is no backup saved. Therefore, to avoid this, you should make a habit of regularly backing up your WhatsApp data. To do this, you can launch WhatsApp and go to its Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Here, you can connect your iCloud/Google account and take an immediate or scheduled backup.

I’m sure that after reading this guide, you would be able to restore WhatsApp chats on your device. As you can see, I have listed dedicated solutions on how to restore WhatsApp chats with or without a backup. If you don’t have a prior backup saved, then simply use Dr.Fone – Data Recovery (Android). The application is 100% safe and will let you restore WhatsApp chat history without causing any harm to your device.

Part 2: How to Restore Deleted WhatsApp Chats without Any Backup?

A lot of people think that there is no provision to restore deleted WhatsApp chats without a backup, which is not the case. The good news is that with the help of a data recovery tool like Dr.Fone - Data Recovery (Android) , you can restore your WhatsApp chat history. It is a dedicated recovery tool that can restore deleted WhatsApp chats, photos, documents, and more.

Dr.Fone - Data Recovery (Android)

Recover Deleted WhatsApp data without Root

• Recover Android data by scanning your Android phone & tablet directly.
• Preview and selectively recover what you want from your Android phone & tablet.
• Supports various file types, including Messages & Contacts & Photos & Videos & Audio & Document & WhatsApp.
• Supports 6000+ Android Device Models & Various Android OS.

Available on: Windows

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New: Recover Deleted WhatsApp Chats on Android Without Backup

When no usable Google Drive or local backup is available, Advanced Recovery in Dr.Fone - Data Recovery (Android) can check a compatible Android phone for recoverable deleted WhatsApp messages and attachments. This mode is part of its Deleted Social App Data Recovery feature and is available in the Windows desktop software.

Instead of reading an existing chat backup, Advanced Recovery scans WhatsApp data directly on the supported device. You can preview the conversations and files found, select the items you need, and save them to your computer. It offers an additional option when the backup is missing, outdated, or does not contain the deleted conversation.

• Look for deleted chats and attachments: Scan for recoverable WhatsApp conversations, photos, videos, voice messages, audio files, and documents.
• Preview before selecting: Review the conversations and media found by the scan instead of exporting every available item.
• Save selected data to your computer: Keep a computer copy of the messages and files you choose to recover.

Check compatibility first: Advanced Recovery runs on Windows and supports Android devices across brands running Android 9–13. Huawei devices running Android 12–13 are currently not supported. The 6000+ device figure elsewhere in this article describes the broader Android recovery support, not the compatibility of this specific mode.

Only data found by the scan can be selected for recovery. Advanced Recovery saves the selected results to your computer; it does not restore them directly into WhatsApp on your phone.

To get started, download Dr.Fone on your Windows computer and follow the Advanced Recovery steps below. You can also read the official WhatsApp Advanced Recovery guide. This mode is available in the Windows desktop software.

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How to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Chats, Photos, and Videos on Android

Have a compatible Android phone, a Windows computer, and a USB cable ready. Follow these four steps to check which deleted WhatsApp messages and attachments are available to recover.

• Step 1: Select Advanced Recovery and Connect Your Android Phone

Open Wondershare Dr.Fone on your Windows computer and go to Toolbox > Data Recovery. Select Android > Recover WhatsApp Data, choose Advanced Recovery, and click Start Scan. Connect your Android phone using a USB cable when prompted and follow the on-screen instructions until the device is detected.

• Step 2: Scan the WhatsApp Data on Your Device

Dr.Fone scans the WhatsApp data on your connected Android phone. Keep the device connected and wait for the scan to finish. If you need to stop the scan, click Cancel before unplugging the cable. If the phone becomes temporarily unresponsive after scanning or recovery, restart it as instructed on the screen.

• Step 3: Preview Recoverable WhatsApp Messages and Attachments

When the scan finishes, browse the conversations and attachment categories in the results. Select a chat to review its messages, and use the search box or results filter where available to locate the items you need.

WhatsApp conversations: Preview the messages and attachments listed for each conversation, then select the available items you want to save.

WhatsApp photos: To check for recoverable deleted WhatsApp photos on Android, choose Photo in the sidebar, review the available images, and select the ones you need.

WhatsApp videos: Open the video category to review the WhatsApp videos found by the scan and select the clips you want to recover.

WhatsApp voice messages and audio: Choose Audio to review available recordings. Check details such as sender, file name, duration, and sending time before selecting the audio files or voice messages to recover.

• Step 4: Recover Selected WhatsApp Data to Your Computer

After selecting the messages and files you need, click Recover. Follow the prompts to choose a folder on your computer and save the selected data. This gives you a computer copy of the available results; it does not put the recovered chats back into the WhatsApp app on your Android phone.

No usable WhatsApp backup? Check what Advanced Recovery can find on your supported Android phone. Preview the results, select the conversations or attachments you need, and recover the available items to your computer.

Advanced Recovery is available in the Windows desktop software and supports Android 9–13. Huawei devices running Android 12–13 are currently not supported. Use the Windows download below to access this mode.

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Guided Android recovery workflow: Follow the overview below and the current on-screen instructions for the guided process. For Advanced Recovery, use the separate four-step tutorial above. Its compatibility requirements differ from Dr.Fone's broader Android recovery support.

How To Recover WhatsApp Data From Android Device using Dr.Fone – Data Recovery (Android) ?

• Step 1: Launch the WhatsApp Data Recovery tool

Simply connect your Android device to your computer, launch the Dr.Fone toolkit, and open the Data Recovery tool on it. Then select the Recover WhatsApp Data mode.

• Step 2: Start the WhatsApp Data Recovery Process

Once your device is connected, you are advised to click Next to initiate the recovery process. You can view the progress from the screen or cancel it in between. Though, to get better results, it is recommended not to cancel the process or disconnect your device.

• Step 3: Agree to Install the Designated App

Once the WhatsApp data recovery process is over, the application will ask you to install a special application. You can just agree to it and wait for the installation to be over so that you can preview your data.

• Step 4: Preview and Restore WhatsApp Chats

That’s it! You can now view all the extracted WhatsApp data, listed under different categories like Chats, Photos, Videos, and more. You can just go to any section from the sidebar to get a preview of your WhatsApp chats.

If you want to filter results, then you can go to the top-right section and choose to view all WhatsApp data or just the deleted chats. Lastly, you can select the WhatsApp chats or data you wish to get back and click on the Recover button. This will let you restore deleted WhatsApp chats to any location of your choice.

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FAQs

1. How to Restore WhatsApp Chat History Without Any Backup?

In this case, a data recovery tool (like Dr.Fone - Data Recovery (Android)) can help you restore deleted WhatsApp chats without any prior backup.

2. Can I Restore My 1-Year-Old WhatsApp Chats Without a Backup?

This would depend on if you have been using your device or not. If you haven’t used your device and your chats weren’t overwritten, then a tool like Dr.Fone – Data Recovery can help you.

3. Is It Possible to Restore WhatsApp Chats That I Skipped Before?

Yes, you can just uninstall WhatsApp on your device and reinstall it to get another chance to restore your WhatsApp chats. If it didn't work, then try Dr.Fone – Data Recovery to restore your deleted WhatsApp chats instead.

4. Which devices support WhatsApp Advanced Recovery?

Advanced Recovery runs in Dr.Fone for Windows and supports Android devices across brands running Android 9–13. Huawei devices running Android 12–13 are currently not supported. The broader 6000+ device figure describes Android recovery support overall, not the compatibility of this particular mode.

5. Can I preview and select deleted WhatsApp chats and attachments?

Yes. After the scan, review the conversations and attachment categories available in the results. Depending on what the scan finds, these may include chats, photos, videos, voice messages, audio files, and documents. Select the items you want to save; a scan does not guarantee recovery of every deleted message or file.

6. Does Advanced Recovery restore chats to WhatsApp on my phone?

No. Advanced Recovery saves selected recoverable messages and attachments to a folder on your computer. It does not import the results directly into WhatsApp on Android. If you want chats restored inside the app, check whether an existing backup contains them and follow the backup-restore workflow in Part 1.