Where are voice messages stored in WhatsApp - briefly?
Voice messages in WhatsApp are temporarily stored on the device before being sent to the recipient's phone. Once delivered, they remain on the recipient's device until manually deleted.
Where are voice messages stored in WhatsApp - in detail?
Voice messages on WhatsApp are stored both locally on the user's device and remotely on the company's servers. This dual storage system ensures that users can access their messages across multiple devices while also providing a backup in case of data loss or device change.
Locally, voice messages are saved in the app's internal storage directory. On Android devices, this is typically found under /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Voice Notes. For iOS users, the path is /var/mobile/Containers/Data/Application/<app_id>/Library/Caches/com.whatsapp.voip, where <app_id> represents a unique identifier for the WhatsApp installation on that specific device.
Remotely, WhatsApp stores voice messages on its cloud servers. These servers are managed by Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of WhatsApp. The data is encrypted end-to-end, ensuring that only the sender and recipient can access the content of the message. This encryption process is handled by Signal Protocol, which was developed by Open Whisper Systems and later integrated into WhatsApp.
When a voice message is sent, it is first uploaded to WhatsApp's servers, where it remains until it is downloaded and played by the recipient. Once the recipient listens to the message, it is saved locally on their device in the same directory as mentioned earlier. However, if the recipient chooses not to keep the media, the message will be automatically deleted from WhatsApp's servers after 30 days.
In addition to these storage locations, users have the option to back up their WhatsApp data, including voice messages, to cloud services like Google Drive or iCloud. This backup process creates a copy of the user's chat history and media, which can be restored if needed. The backup files are also encrypted for security purposes.
In summary, WhatsApp stores voice messages both locally on users' devices and remotely on its servers. This storage strategy ensures data accessibility, security, and redundancy, providing users with a seamless experience across different platforms and devices.