How to Recover Deleted Messages on WhatsApp Without Backup (2025)

Accidentally deleted important chats on WhatsApp and didn’t have a backup enabled? Don’t panic — while WhatsApp doesn’t make recovery easy without backups, there are still some possible ways to retrieve lost messages.

In this 2025 guide, we’ll walk you through practical methods to recover deleted WhatsApp messages without backup, along with tools, limitations, and prevention tips.

⚠️ First, Check if You Have Any Backup

Go to:
WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup

If Last Backup: Never, or the chat was deleted after your last backup, proceed with the steps below.

✅ Method 1: Check WhatsApp’s Internal “msgstore” Files (Android Only)

This only works if you haven’t deleted the local database files yet.

📍 Steps:

1. Open your file manager app
2. Go to:
   Internal Storage > WhatsApp > Databases
3. You’ll see files like:
   msgstore.db.crypt12 and msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.db.crypt12
4. Rename the most recent file to msgstore.db.crypt12
5. Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp
6. During setup, tap Restore when prompted

⚠️ Only works if messages were deleted within the last 7 days (default local backup period)

✅ Method 2: Use a Data Recovery Tool (Android & iOS)

Third-party apps can sometimes recover deleted WhatsApp data if it hasn’t been overwritten.

🛠 Recommended Tools:

• Dr.Fone – Data Recovery (iOS/Android)
• iMyFone ChatsBack
• Tenorshare UltData WhatsApp Recovery

These tools scan your phone’s internal storage for deleted WhatsApp messages, even without backup.

📌 How It Works:

1. Connect your phone to a computer
2. Launch the recovery tool and select WhatsApp Recovery
3. Let it scan your device
4. Preview and selectively recover messages
5. Save/export to your device or desktop

⚠️ Most tools offer free preview, but full recovery may require a paid license

✅ Method 3: Ask the Chat Partner to Export the Conversation

If the messages were part of a one-on-one chat, your contact may still have a full copy.

You can ask them to:

1. Open your chat
2. Tap the 3-dot menu > More > Export Chat
3. Choose Without Media or With Media
4. They can send you the exported .txt file or email

🔐 This doesn’t restore to WhatsApp, but lets you access the chat history for reference.

❌ What Does NOT Work (Myths)

Method	Why It Doesn’t Work
Clearing cache	Doesn’t recover deleted messages
Using Google Drive without enabling backup	Drive won’t have any saved chat history
Reinstalling WhatsApp (without backup)	Deletes remaining chat history
Secret recovery apps from Play Store	Often scams or ads-heavy with no results

🔒 How to Prevent Losing Chats Again

• ✅ Enable automatic backups:
  • Android: WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Google Drive: Daily
  • iPhone: WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Auto Backup: Daily
• ✅ Export important chats monthly
• ✅ Use a password manager to remember recovery codes for 2FA

📌 Summary

Recovering deleted WhatsApp messages without backup is tricky — but not impossible.

Method	Platform	Free?
Local database (msgstore)	Android	✅
Data recovery tools	Android & iOS	❌ (Preview only)
Ask chat partner	Both	✅

If recovery is critical (e.g., legal or business), investing in a paid tool may be worth it.