WhatsApp offers several features for controlling the visibility of messages, including disappearing messages that are automatically deleted after a set period of time. If you sent or received a disappearing message that is no longer available in the chat, can you still retrieve it somehow? Here are some tips for trying to recover disappeared WhatsApp messages.
Check Notification Log on Android
If you use WhatsApp on an Android device, one place to check for disappeared messages is in your notification log. For up to 3 days after receiving a WhatsApp message, you may be able to long press on the notification and select “App info” to see message details.
To access the notification log:
- Open Settings on your Android device.
- Go to Apps & Notifications > Notifications.
- Locate WhatsApp in the list of apps. Select it.
- Go to the Advanced section and select “Notification history.”
- Scroll through your notification log to see if any recent disappeared WhatsApp messages are still accessible here.
This method allows you to view message details and content for recent notifications, even if the message is no longer in the WhatsApp chat itself. However, it only works for a limited time period before notifications are deleted from the log.
Check External Notification Backups
In addition to the internal Android notification log, some Android devices may back up notifications externally. For example, some Xiaomi phones backup notifications to the Mi Cloud service. On Samsung phones, notifications can be synced with a Samsung Account. So if you have a notification backup enabled, you may be able to retrieve disappeared WhatsApp notifications from the cloud even after they are deleted from your device.
Restore from Local WhatsApp Backups
WhatsApp automatically saves daily backups of your chats to local storage on your device. If you have backups enabled, you may be able to restore an older version of your chat history and access disappeared messages that way. Here are the steps:
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.
- When prompted, restore chat history from a local backup during setup.
- Review your restored chats to see if the disappeared messages are now available.
Do keep in mind this method will replace your current WhatsApp chats with the older backed up versions. But it can be useful if you desperately need to retrieve a particularly important disappeared message.
Check Google Drive Backups on Android
In addition to local backups, Android users also have the option to save WhatsApp backups to Google Drive. This keeps copies in the cloud rather than just on your device. To restore from Google Drive:
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.
- When prompted, select to restore from Google Drive backup.
- Review your chats to see if the missing messages have reappeared.
As with local backups, this will replace your latest chats with the Google Drive backup version. But it’s another option for finding disappeared messages if you have Drive backups enabled.
Check iCloud Backups on iPhone
For iPhone users, WhatsApp chats can be backed up to iCloud automatically or when manually triggered. If you have iCloud Chat backups enabled, you may be able to restore an older version of a chat with disappeared messages. To restore chats from iCloud:
- Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap Restore. Select the backup date you want to restore.
- Verify in your chat that the disappeared messages have now returned.
As before, this will replace your current WhatsApp chats with the iCloud backup versions. Use judiciously to retrieve disappeared messages when really needed.
Check the Sender’s Phone
For disappearing WhatsApp messages you sent, the message will remain on your end even after it has disappeared for the recipient. So you can open the chat on your phone and view the message you sent previously.
If the disappeared message was received from someone else, check with the sender to see if the message still exists on their device. They can open the chat, long press on the message, and choose forwarding or copy options potentially to share it with you again.
Use WhatsApp Web
In some cases, a message that has disappeared on your mobile device may still be visible on the WhatsApp Web version accessed through a computer browser. WhatsApp Web mirrors the chats from your mobile app but doesn’t always delete messages at the same time.
To check WhatsApp Web for disappeared messages:
- Open web.whatsapp.com in your browser.
- Scan the QR code to link your WhatsApp account.
- Check your recent chats to see if any disappeared messages are still showing.
This method works best for messages that have just disappeared from your phone and may still be temporarily available on the web before eventually disappearing there as well.
Try Third-Party WhatsApp Recovery Apps
There are various third-party apps that claim the ability to restore deleted WhatsApp messages, including disappeared ones. Some examples to check out include:
- Dr.Fone – WhatsApp Recovery
- FonePaw Android Data Recovery
- Tenorshare WhatsApp Recovery
To use such apps, you typically need to install the app on your device, grant access permissions, connect your phone, and scan for restorable chat data. The capabilities vary across apps, with some performing deeper scans attempting to recover deleted content.
While sometimes effective, do take care with third-party apps handling your messaging data and ensure they are trustworthy. Back up your device before use in case of unexpected issues.
Contact WhatsApp Support
In some cases of extremely important disappeared messages, you can try reaching out to WhatsApp support for assistance. Explain in detail the situation and exact messages needed. Note that WhatsApp’s ability to restore data is limited, and they may not be able to recover deleted messages.
But for situations like critical missing business data or life events, it may be worth contacting support on the slim chance a restoration is possible from their end. At minimum, they can document the request and try to troubleshoot if any recovery options exist.
Avoid Disappearing Messages for Important Chats
To avoid this situation going forward, use disappearing messages cautiously and avoid enabling them for conversations containing important data you may need. Routine family/friend chats are fine, but be careful with business or priority conversations.
Also be diligent about backing up your WhatsApp chats frequently, whether locally or to a cloud service. This gives you restore points to retrieve disappeared messages should they accidentally get enabled on a chat.
Set Longer Disappearing Message Timers
If you do use disappearing messages, maximize the time before they delete with the longest duration settings. This gives you more opportunity to back up chats or otherwise extract the message content. The maximum time limits are:
- 24 hours for group chats
- 90 days for individual chats
Setting messages to delete after the maximum time gives you the most flexibility. Avoid short durations like 5 seconds or 1 hour unless absolutely necessary.
Conclusion
While WhatsApp does not provide native tools to recover disappeared messages, solutions ranging from notification log checks to chat backups can help retrieve deleted content in some cases. Table 1 below summarizes tips to keep in mind when trying to get back disappeared WhatsApp messages.
| Method | Details |
|---|---|
| Android Notification Log | Check for recently disappeared messages up to past 3 days. |
| External Notification Backups | May retain notifications beyond device storage limits. |
| Local/Cloud Chat Backups | Restore older backup point to retrieve missing messages. |
| Sender’s Phone | Disappeared sent messages still available on sender’s phone. |
| WhatsApp Web | Web version may retain messages temporarily deleted on mobile. |
| Third-Party Recovery Apps | Varies, some claim ability to recover deleted chats. |
| WhatsApp Support | Small chance of message restoration through official channels. |
Be very cautious about enabling disappearing messages on important chats going forward. Always maintain diligent backups as your best protection. With proper precautions, you can minimize the risk of losing key WhatsApp messages that later disappear.