Where are deleted WhatsApp messages stored - briefly?
Deleted WhatsApp messages are not permanently erased but rather hidden from the user's view. They are stored in the device's memory and can potentially be retrieved using forensic tools or data recovery services.
Where are deleted WhatsApp messages stored - in detail?
Deleted WhatsApp messages are not permanently erased from the device or server immediately after being deleted. Instead, they remain accessible in various forms and locations, subject to certain conditions and constraints.
When a user deletes a message on their end, it is removed from their local chat history but continues to exist on the recipient's device until they also delete it. This means that if the recipient has not deleted the message, it can still be viewed by them. Additionally, if the message was sent to a group, all participants in the group will still see the message unless they individually delete it from their chat history.
WhatsApp employs end-to-end encryption for all messages, ensuring that only the sender and recipient(s) can read the content of the messages. This encryption extends to deleted messages as well. As a result, even if a message is deleted, it remains encrypted and cannot be accessed by WhatsApp or any third party without the necessary decryption keys.
Despite the encryption, deleted messages are not entirely gone from WhatsApp's servers. They are stored in a form known as "message logs" on the server side. These logs contain metadata about the messages, such as timestamps and delivery status, but not the actual content of the messages. The content itself is only stored locally on the user's device and is encrypted end-to-end.
Moreover, deleted messages can also be found in local backups created by users. WhatsApp provides options for users to create regular backups of their chat history, which are saved either on iCloud (for iOS users) or Google Drive (for Android users). These backups include all messages, including those that have been deleted. As a result, even if a message is deleted from the chat history, it can still be recovered from these backups until they are overwritten by new data.
In conclusion, while deleted WhatsApp messages may no longer appear in the local chat history on the user's device, they remain accessible in various forms and locations. They can still be viewed by recipients who have not deleted them, exist as encrypted logs on WhatsApp servers, and are included in user-created backups until those backups are replaced with new data.