How to restore media files in WhatsApp on Android - briefly?
To restore media files in WhatsApp on Android, follow these steps:
- Open WhatsApp and go to the "Chats" tab.
- Tap on the three dots in the top right corner, select "Settings," then "Chats," and finally "Backup."
How to restore media files in WhatsApp on Android - in detail?
To restore media files in WhatsApp on an Android device, follow these detailed steps:
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Backup Creation: Before restoring, ensure that you have a recent backup of your WhatsApp data. WhatsApp automatically creates backups daily at 2 AM and saves them to Google Drive if you have enabled this feature in the app's settings. To check if your media files are included in the backup:
- Open WhatsApp.
- Tap on the three dots (⋮) in the top-right corner to access the menu.
- Select "Settings" > "Chats" > "Chat Backup".
- Review the details under "Last Backup" to ensure your media files are included.
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Restoring from Google Drive: If you have a backup on Google Drive, follow these steps to restore it:
- Uninstall WhatsApp from your device.
- Reinstall WhatsApp from the Google Play Store.
- Open WhatsApp and verify your phone number during the setup process.
- When prompted with the option to restore a backup, tap "Restore" to retrieve your media files from Google Drive.
- Wait for the restoration process to complete. The time required depends on the size of the backup and the speed of your internet connection.
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Manual Restoration: If you have manually backed up your WhatsApp data (excluding media) using the "Export chat" feature, you can restore the text messages but not the media files directly through this method. To retrieve media files from a manual backup:
- Locate the backup file on your device's internal storage or SD card. The file is named "WhatsApp" and has an ".abz" extension.
- Rename the file by changing its extension to ".zip". For example, rename "WhatsApp.abz" to "WhatsApp.zip".
- Extract the contents of the zip file using a file manager or a computer with unzipping capabilities.
- Look for the "Media" folder within the extracted files. This folder contains your WhatsApp media, organized by chat and date.
- Manually transfer the desired media files back to your device or use them as needed.
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Troubleshooting: If you encounter issues during the restoration process, consider the following tips:
- Ensure that you are using the same phone number associated with the backup.
- Check your internet connection and make sure it is stable throughout the restoration process.
- Verify that you have sufficient storage space on your device to accommodate the restored data.
- If the restoration process fails, try deleting the WhatsApp folder from your device's internal storage or SD card and restarting the app. This action will prompt WhatsApp to create a new folder and potentially resolve any corruption issues.