Where does Android save WhatsApp data - briefly?
On an Android device, WhatsApp data is primarily stored in the internal memory of the phone. This includes media files like photos and videos, as well as chat logs and other app-related information.
Where does Android save WhatsApp data - in detail?
Android saves WhatsApp data primarily in two main locations on the device's internal storage: the app-specific directory and the shared storage folder.
Firstly, the core of WhatsApp data is stored within the app-specific directory. This directory is dedicated to WhatsApp alone and cannot be accessed by other applications without proper permissions. It contains crucial elements such as databases, media files, and backups. The primary database file, msgstore.db, holds the messages and their metadata, including timestamps and sender information. Media files like images, videos, and documents are saved in subfolders within this directory. Additionally, WhatsApp creates periodic backups of the message database, which are stored as msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.crypt12 files.
Secondly, WhatsApp also saves data in shared storage folders that can be accessed by other apps and users. The most prominent among these is the WhatsApp/Media directory located at /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/Media. This folder contains all media files sent or received through WhatsApp, including images, videos, GIFs, voice messages, and documents. It is organized into subfolders such as WhatsApp Images, WhatsApp Video, Sent, and Statuses to categorize the content effectively.
Moreover, WhatsApp uses Google Drive or iCloud for backup purposes on Android devices, depending on whether the user has linked their account. These cloud backups include message history, media files, and other relevant data. The local backups created in the app-specific directory are periodically synchronized with these cloud services to ensure that users have up-to-date copies of their WhatsApp data.
In summary, Android saves WhatsApp data in both an app-specific directory for core functionalities and shared storage folders for media files. Additionally, cloud backups provide an extra layer of security and accessibility for users' WhatsApp data.