How to find out if there is a backup copy of WhatsApp on Android - briefly?
To determine if there is a backup copy of WhatsApp on your Android device, check the Google Drive storage associated with your account. If you see a folder labeled "WhatsApp," it indicates that a backup has been created and stored there.
How to find out if there is a backup copy of WhatsApp on Android - in detail?
To determine whether there is a backup copy of WhatsApp on your Android device, you can follow these detailed steps:
Step 1: Check for Google Drive Backup
WhatsApp allows users to back up their chats to Google Drive. Here’s how to check if this feature is enabled and if a backup exists:
- Open WhatsApp: Launch the WhatsApp application on your Android device.
- Access Settings: Tap on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner to open the menu. Select "Settings" from the dropdown list.
- Navigate to Chats: Within the settings, find and tap on "Chats."
- Check Backup Options: Look for the option labeled "Backup." Tap on it.
- Review Backup Details: This screen will show you the last time a backup was performed, along with details such as the size of the backup and the Google Account used for the backup. If there is no recent backup, it will indicate that as well.
Step 2: Verify Backup on Google Drive
If your WhatsApp chats are backed up to Google Drive, you can also verify this directly through Google Drive:
- Open Google Drive: Open the Google Drive app or visit drive.google.com on your web browser.
- Access Settings: Click on your profile picture in the upper right corner and select "Manage your Google Account."
- Navigate to Backups: In the left-hand menu, click on "Data & personalization," then scroll down to find "Download, delete, or make a plan for your data."
- Check WhatsApp Data: Look for WhatsApp in the list of apps and services that have access to your Google Account. If there is a backup, it will be listed here along with its size and the date it was last updated.
Step 3: Local Backup on Device Storage
In addition to Google Drive, WhatsApp also creates local backups on your device's internal storage by default. Here’s how to locate them:
- Open File Manager: Use any file manager app installed on your Android device or the built-in one.
- Navigate to Internal Storage: Go to the "Internal Storage" section of your device.
- Find WhatsApp Folder: Look for a folder named "WhatsApp." It might be located within another folder such as "Media," "Android," or directly under "Internal Storage."
- Check Backup Files: Inside the WhatsApp folder, you should see subfolders like "Databases" and "Backups." The "Databases" folder contains SQLite database files (e.g.,
msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.db.crypt12
), which are the local backups of your chats.
By following these steps, you can determine whether there is a backup copy of WhatsApp on your Android device and gain insight into how and where these backups are stored.