Where are voice recordings stored in WhatsApp - briefly?
Voice recordings in WhatsApp are temporarily stored on the device before being uploaded to the cloud for backup.
Where are voice recordings stored in WhatsApp - in detail?
In WhatsApp, voice recordings are not permanently stored on the device itself or on the server. When you send a voice message on WhatsApp, it is temporarily saved in a specific directory on your device before being encrypted and sent to the recipient. This temporary storage allows for features like editing and reviewing the recording before sending.
The location of these temporary recordings varies depending on the operating system of your device:
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Android: Voice recordings are stored temporarily in the
WhatsApp/Mediadirectory within the internal or external storage of your device. The exact path is typically something like/storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Voice Notes. -
iOS (iPhone): On iOS devices, voice recordings are temporarily stored in a cache directory managed by WhatsApp. This location is not directly accessible to users and is managed internally by the app.
After the voice message is sent, the temporary file is deleted from your device. However, the encrypted version of the recording is stored on WhatsApp's servers until it is delivered to the recipient. Once delivered, the message is no longer stored on WhatsApp's servers unless you choose to back up your chat history using a cloud service like Google Drive or iCloud.
It's important to note that WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for all messages, including voice recordings. This means that only the devices of the sender and recipient can decrypt and access the content of the message. WhatsApp itself cannot access or read the contents of these messages due to this encryption mechanism.
In summary, while temporary storage locations exist on your device for editing and reviewing purposes, voice recordings are not permanently stored there. Once sent, they are encrypted and transferred to the recipient's device, with no permanent copies remaining on WhatsApp's servers or your own device unless you have enabled a backup service.