How to recover deleted photos from whatsapp in Android & iOS

The pain of losing pictures from WhatsApp is a bitter pill to swallow especially if those pictures are personal or important. I have gone through a similar situation. I once accidentally deleted a conversation and along with it, the images were gone. I was terrified but after trying a few things, I ended up recovering most of them.

The method I’ll be discussing here is one for recovering WhatsApp deleted pictures including backups, file manager tricks, reinstalling the app, using recovery software, and which method is applicable to Android or iPhone. Also, I will let you know what I personally tested and what worked for me so that you won't spend time on useless methods.

The first step is understanding the place where WhatsApp saves images

Before going ahead with recovery techniques, knowing the exact place where WhatsApp keeps the media is a must. The awareness is very beneficial because sometimes users may have already downloaded the pictures on their phone but they do not know about it.

WhatsApp images are stored in two main different places:

In the WhatsApp app (which is tied with chat history)

In your mobile storage or cloud backup

This is how sometimes the photos deleted from WhatsApp are still not gone forever. Quite often they are just hidden from the message.

Always Check Gallery and WhatsApp Folder on Your Phone First

This may seem very basic, but it works more often than you think. I once managed to get back some pictures just by doing this.

The following steps are to be carried out:

On most of the Android devices, the pictures that are deleted last for a period of up to 30 days in the trash. Photos that are deleted through the iPhone, Photos app keeps it for a period of time.

Since this method is simple and completely safe, always try it out first!

Use File Manager to recover WhatsApp images (Android)

If you are an Android user, the file manager can be a lifesaver. In fact I applied this method once when my gallery was totally empty.

Just do this:

The technique works because the files are still there but the system is not categorizing them properly.

Recover deleted photos using WhatsApp backup (Android)

In case you had the backup enabled, this is the ultimate recovery trick.

WhatsApp’s automatic backup occurs daily, weekly, or monthly by default. For Android, they go to Google Drive.

My steps when I retrieved my images were:

Key points to keep in mind:

• A backup should be made before losing the data.
• Keep the same mobile number.
• Keep the same Google account.
• Even if your backup is old, the recent photos cannot be obtained but the older ones are returned usually.

Recover deleted photos from WhatsApp on iPhone

For iPhone users, the method is same but use iCloud instead.

iCloud is the storage place for WhatsApp backups on iPhone.

Steps to be followed for recovery:

Once I attempted this on my friend's iPhone, it ended up working flawlessly since the backup had been carried out the night before.

Here are some things you should verify before proceeding:

• Enough space in iCloud
• Same Apple ID
• Photos deleted after the backup was taken

In case you don't have a backup?

This is when the difficulties arise, but still, it is not beyond reach.

Even without WhatsApp backup, you may still try the following alternatives:

• Open file manager to check the storage of the phone
• Look through Google Photos or iCloud Photos
• Use secure photo recovery tools

Unintentionally, Google Photos sometimes backs up WhatsApp media automatically. I once located old WhatsApp images there, even though I had removed them from the chat.

Using photo recovery tools: Are they effective?

A variety of recovery high-tech tools advertise recovering WhatsApp images. Some of them are effective while others are not.

To share my experience:

• They are more effective on Android than on iPhone
• They have the best performance if the deletion is recent
• For basic recovery, root or jailbreak is frequently NOT required
• Reliable recovery tools typically do a phone storage scan and look at cached files.

Things to remember:

• Avoid dubious tools
• Do not grant unnecessary permissions
• Free options come with restrictions

Although these tools assist in the without backups, the possibility of success is not guaranteed.

Get photos from WhatsApp chat history

Sometimes, the photos are still present in the chats but won't display.

Try this:

Once while troubleshooting the missing media in WhatsApp, I cleared the cache and reopened the chat; it worked.

The measures to avoid the loss of WhatsApp photo data in future

I first lost photos then changed my settings, and that saved me later on.

Take action immediately:

• Set up automatic daily backups
• Google Drive or iCloud should be your choices
• Keep enough storage for the cloud
• Do not clear WhatsApp folders without checking
• Stay away from aggressive cleaner apps

It's less stressful to prevent than to recover.

Users' common errors

Do not make these mistakes:

• Reinstalling WhatsApp without checking backup first
• Changing phone number
• Using fake recovery tools
• Clearing internal device storage

These errors lead to less successful recovery.

Valuable outside resources

You can also visit these reliable sites:

• WhatsApp's Help Center
• Google Drive's Help Section
• Apple's iCloud Support

They provide a clear and secure explanation of backup and recovery.

FAQs

Is it possible to get back deleted WhatsApp photos without a backup?

Yes, but only in certain instances through a file manager, Google Photos or recovery tools, and the success rate is different.

Will uninstalling WhatsApp erase the photos?

Not directly, but the restoring may depend on the backup that's available.

Are recovery tools safe?

Some are, but it's better to pick the recognition tools and stay away from untrustworthy apps.

How long will WhatsApp retain backups?

The daily backups overwrite the previous one unless they are kept separately.

Conclusion

It is indeed stressful when one loses WhatsApp photos, but in most cases, the photos can be recovered. I have recovered photos myself through backups, file manager tricks, and cloud storage. The trick is to act fast and pick the right method.

If you have followed the steps in this guide, you are now well informed about how to recover your deleted WhatsApp photos in a safe and smart way.

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Related: How to Archive WhatsApp Chat | How to Download WhatsApp Profile Picture