How to extract a group from the WhatsApp archive on Android?

How to extract a group from the WhatsApp archive on Android - briefly?

To extract a group from the WhatsApp archive on Android, follow these steps:

1. Open the file manager app on your Android device and locate the WhatsApp folder in your internal storage.
2. Copy the desired group chat folder (named with the group's name) to any other location or backup service for safekeeping.

How to extract a group from the WhatsApp archive on Android - in detail?

Extracting a group from the WhatsApp archive on an Android device involves several steps. This process allows you to restore or transfer a specific group chat, which can be particularly useful if you need to share information with another user or migrate data to a new phone. Here is a detailed guide on how to achieve this:

1. Backup the WhatsApp Data:

   To begin, ensure that your WhatsApp data is backed up. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Chats. Tap on Chat Backup, then click on BACK UP to create a new backup of your messages and media. This process will save your chat history, including the group you wish to extract, to Google Drive.

2. Locate the WhatsApp Backup File:

   The WhatsApp backup file is stored locally on your device in addition to being uploaded to Google Drive. You can find this file in the internal storage of your Android device. Navigate to Internal Storage > WhatsApp > Databases. Here, you will see several files with names like msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.db.crypt12.

3. Identify the Relevant Backup File:

   The backup file you need contains the group chat you want to extract. The filename format includes the date of the backup, so identify the correct file based on when the group was active or last backed up.

4. Extract the Backup File:

   To extract the backup file from your Android device, you can use a file manager app. Copy the identified .db.crypt12 file to your computer for further processing. You can do this by connecting your Android device to your computer via USB and transferring the file using a file explorer tool or a dedicated backup extraction application.

5. Decrypt the Backup File:

   WhatsApp backup files are encrypted for security purposes. To decrypt the file, you will need a third-party tool such as WhatsApp Extractor or DB Browser for SQLite. Download and install one of these tools on your computer. Open the extracted .db.crypt12 file using the tool to begin the decryption process.

6. Access the Group Chat:

   Once the file is decrypted, you will have access to all the chats contained within the backup. Navigate through the messages to find the specific group chat you are interested in. You can then export or save this particular group conversation as needed.

7. Restore or Transfer the Group Chat:

   After extracting the group chat, you can choose to restore it on your current device or transfer it to another device. To restore, use a WhatsApp restoration tool that supports selective restoration. To transfer, share the extracted files with the recipient and guide them through the decryption process if necessary.

By following these steps, you can effectively extract a group from the WhatsApp archive on an Android device, allowing for easy sharing or migration of important chat histories.