WhatsApp Recovery and Backup on Windows 11/10/8/7 PC or Laptop | Complete Guide

Lost WhatsApp Data

"Hello, do you know of any methods to recover lost WhatsApp data like messages or photos after a Windows 10 system update? I lost all my WhatsApp data, including messages, videos, and photos, along with some other crucial files on my computer. Is there any possibility to retrieve those lost items?"

"I accidentally lost WhatsApp photos and videos after using a system cleaning software on my laptop. Is it possible to recover those lost files? If so, how can I do it?"

Don't worry if you've lost WhatsApp data and are unsure how to restore it on your Windows PC. Below, you'll find effective methods for WhatsApp recovery on Windows 10/8/7 PCs or laptops.

How to recover WhatsApp data on Windows 11/10/8/7 PC or laptop

There are two methods to restore WhatsApp data on a Windows PC, depending on whether you have previously created a backup of your WhatsApp data or not.

If you didn't have a backup of WhatsApp, refer to Method 1 and utilize file recovery tools for assistance. If you have previously created a backup of the lost files, you can follow Method 2 to recover WhatsApp from that backup.

Method 1: Perform WhatsApp Recovery without Backup

If you don't have any backups or copies of WhatsApp chat histories on your PC, there's no need to worry. The professional Data Recovery Wizard tool can assist you in easily recovering lost WhatsApp files directly. This powerful file recovery software - Data Recovery Wizard allows you to restore all lost data on your PC that was deleted, formatted, affected by viruses, lost after system reset, or for any other reasons, with just a few simple steps.

Moreover, you can simply apply this software to scan and restore all lost WhatsApp messages and pictures on Windows PC.

Step 1. Select a drive and start scanning Select the drive that contains the lost data, and initiate the scanning process.

1. Launch the "Data Recovery Wizard" tool. 2. Hover over the partition where you experienced data loss. This could be an internal hard disk, an external disk, a USB drive, or an SD card. 3. Click on "Scan" to initiate the scanning process.

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Step 2. Check and preview scanned files This translates to: Step 2. Review and preview scanned files

Utilize the file format filter located in the left-hand corner or the upper right corner to refine your search results until you locate the required files. Once found, you can click the "Preview" button or double-click a file to preview its contents, should you wish to do so.

Step 3. Recover lost data to a secure location Translate this into English: Step 3. Restore lost data to a secure location

Click the checkbox next to the file and click "Recover" to restore the lost data to a secure location. It is recommended that you do not save the recovered data on the same disk where it was originally lost.

If you accidentally lose WhatsApp files on your Android or iOS device and don't have backups, you can utilize the WhatsApp recovery tool to efficiently recover lost WhatsApp data from your Android phones or iOS devices with ease.

Method 2: Restore Lost WhatsApp Files from Backup

This method may only be effective when you have backups of WhatsApp data, such as chat history, messages, and videos, and you can directly restore lost WhatsApp files from the backup.

This method is solely applicable for retrieving lost WhatsApp files from a backup on your mobile device. Please follow the detailed steps below to execute the backup restoration: 1. Ensure that WhatsApp is卸载 from your phone. 2. Reinstall WhatsApp from the App Store (for iOS) or Google Play Store (for Android). 3. During the setup process, enter your phone number and follow the verification steps. 4. When prompted, select the option to Restore chats from Backup. For iOS, this will appear automatically; for Android, you might need to manually choose the backup from Settings > Chats > Restore chats from Backup. 5. Wait for the restoration process to complete. This may take some time depending on the size of your backup and your internet connection. 6. Once the restore is finished, your lost WhatsApp files should be back in your chat history. Please note that this method only works if you have a recent backup of your WhatsApp messages on your device. If you haven't backed up your data or the backup is outdated, you won't be able to recover the lost files.

Step 1. Open WhatsApp and tap on "More".

Step 2. Tap on "Settings" > "Chats."

Step 3. On your iPhone, tap "Backup Now." You might be asked to sign in to iCloud to locate the backup. Follow any on-screen instructions, and you'll see the time of the last backup.

On Android: Tap "Chat backup," then select "Last backup."

(Do not tap Backup, otherwise a new backup will be created, and all your chat history in the backup will be overwritten by new data.)

Step 4. Choose your latest backup and tap "Restore" when prompted with the message, "Would you like to restore your message history from backup?"

Tip: It is strongly advised that you export significant chat histories and routinely create backups or copies outside of WhatsApp. This will be incredibly helpful in case issues arise with your PC or WhatsApp.

Tips: Backup and Protect WhatsApp Data

To thoroughly address the WhatsApp data loss issue, it's crucial not only to know how to recover lost files on a PC or cellphone but also to establish a routine backup of important WhatsApp conversations.

Since the WhatsApp Desktop application doesn't save files on the PC, you'll need to use the app on your phone to create a backup.

Backup WhatsApp on iOS

Step 1. Open WhatsApp and tap on "More".

Step 2. Click on "Settings" > "Chats and Calls".

Step 3. Tap "Backup Now". You can also enable the Auto Backup option to automatically back up your desired data.

Backup WhatsApp on Android

Step 1. Open WhatsApp and navigate to "Settings".

Step 2. Click on "Chats", then tap on "Chat Backup".

Step 3. Click "Back Up" or the option "Back Up to Google Drive."