How to find a WhatsApp backup on Google Drive on a computer?

How to find a WhatsApp backup on Google Drive on a computer - briefly?

To locate your WhatsApp backup on Google Drive using a computer, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Google Drive website and sign in to your account.
  2. Navigate to "Computers" in the sidebar menu and look for files named with a format like "WhatsApp Backup YYYY-MM-DD HH.mm.ss".

How to find a WhatsApp backup on Google Drive on a computer - in detail?

To locate your WhatsApp backup on Google Drive using a computer, follow these detailed steps:

  1. Access Google Drive: Open your web browser and navigate to the Google Drive website (drive.google.com). Log in with the same Google account that you used to create the WhatsApp backup.
  2. Locate Backup Files: Once logged in, you will see a list of files and folders stored in your Google Drive. WhatsApp backups are typically saved as .crypt or .crypt12 files. These files may not be immediately visible if they are located within subfolders.
  3. Search for Backup Files: To find these backup files quickly, use the search bar at the top of the Google Drive interface. Type "WhatsApp" and press Enter. This will display a list of all files and folders related to WhatsApp, including your backups.
  4. Identify Backup Files: The backup files are usually named with a timestamp indicating when they were created. For example, you might see files named msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.crypt or msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.crypt12, where YYYY is the year, MM is the month, and DD is the day of the backup.
  5. Download Backup Files: To download a backup file to your computer, click on the three vertical dots next to the filename. From the dropdown menu, select "Download." This will initiate the download process, and you can choose where to save the file on your computer.

  6. Restore WhatsApp Messages: After downloading the backup file, you can restore your WhatsApp messages by following these steps:

    • Uninstall and then reinstall WhatsApp on your phone.
    • Open WhatsApp and follow the setup process until you reach the screen where it asks to restore chat history from a Google Drive backup.
    • Tap "Restore" and wait for the restoration process to complete. Ensure that your phone is connected to the internet throughout this process.

By following these steps, you can successfully find and download your WhatsApp backups stored on Google Drive using a computer.