WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion active users. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos, documents and make voice and video calls. One of the key features of WhatsApp is its backup function, which allows users to save their chat history, media, settings etc. But where exactly is this WhatsApp backup data stored on your Android phone’s internal memory? Let’s take a detailed look.
WhatsApp Backup Overview
WhatsApp gives users two options for backing up their data – Google Drive and local storage. Backing up to Google Drive allows your chat history, media etc. to be saved to your Google account. This means your backup will still be available if you switch to a new Android phone by simply logging into your Google account.
Backing up locally means saving the data to your phone’s internal storage. This keeps your data on your phone itself. The advantage is you don’t need an internet connection to back up locally. The disadvantage is that you lose your backup if you switch phones or factory reset your device.
By default, WhatsApp takes local backups daily at 2am if your phone is idle, charging and connected to WiFi. You can also manually back up at any time via WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
WhatsApp Backup Folder Location
On Android devices, WhatsApp backups are stored in the following folder path:
Internal Storage/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases
So you need to go to your phone’s File Manager or File Explorer app and navigate to:
Internal storage > Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Databases
Here is a breakdown of the folder structure:
– Internal Storage – This is your phone’s built-in storage, usually 32GB, 64GB or 128GB depending on your phone model.
– Android – This contains all your Android system files and app data.
– media – Various media and app files are stored here in subfolders.
– com.whatsapp – This is WhatsApp’s folder where its app data is stored.
– WhatsApp – Core WhatsApp files are stored here.
– Databases – This folder contains your chat history, media files and settings backup as crypt12 database files.
Types of WhatsApp Backup Files
There are a few different files that make up your WhatsApp backup in the Databases folder:
– msgstore.db.crypt12 – This contains your entire chat history including text messages, timestamps, deleted messages etc. It’s the main database file.
– wa.db.crypt12 – This small database has your WhatsApp settings and preferences.
– axolotl.db.crypt12 – Stores your encryption keys for end-to-end encrypted chats.
– chatsettings.db.crypt12 – Stores your individual chat settings and mute information.
The .crypt12 extension indicates that the backup files are encrypted using WhatsApp’s proprietary crypt12 encryption. This prevents anyone else from accessing your chats if they get hold of your backup files.
Media Files in WhatsApp Backup
In addition to the database files, your WhatsApp media is also backed up in the Internal Storage in a separate folder path:
Internal Storage/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images
Internal Storage/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Video
Internal Storage/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Audio
Internal Storage/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Animated Gifs
Internal Storage/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Sticker Pack
Internal Storage/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Voice Notes
So photos, videos, GIFs, voice notes and other media you exchanged on WhatsApp can be found segregated in these folders. Media files are not encrypted.
Size of WhatsApp Backup
The size of your WhatsApp backup depends on how much content you have in your chats and media files exchanged. Some typical WhatsApp backup sizes are:
– Less than 100MB for light users with mostly text messages
– 100MB to 500MB for moderately active users
– 500MB to 1GB for users with a lot of media content
– Over 1GB for very active users with years of chat history
You can check your current WhatsApp backup size in Settings – Storage Usage. This will show you a breakdown of storage space used by WhatsApp.
Characteristics of WhatsApp Backups
Here are some key characteristics of WhatsApp backup files:
- Encrypted using crypt12 encryption except media files
- Taken automatically each day if criteria is met
- Seamless backup and restore across Android devices
- Chats, media, settings backed up
- Each backup is full backup, not incremental
- Stored on internal storage by default
- Media segregated in separate folders
- Backup size varies from under 100MB to over 1GB
Restoring WhatsApp Backup
If you ever need to restore your WhatsApp backup on the same or new Android phone, here is the process:
- Install WhatsApp and verify your number
- On the Restore Chat History page, tap Restore
- It will look for local backups and give option to restore
- Authenticate via your Google account if prompted
- Select backup date to restore from
- WhatsApp restores chats, media, settings from backup
That’s it! Your backup will be retrieved from the Databases folder and restore your WhatsApp account.
Moving WhatsApp Backup to Another Phone
To transfer your WhatsApp backup to a new Android phone:
- Copy WhatsApp/Databases folder to phone storage or SD card
- Copy WhatsApp/Media folder to phone storage or SD card
- Move SD card or connect old phone to new phone via USB
- Install WhatsApp, verify number and restore
- Select backup date and let WhatsApp restore data
This will manually move your backup and media to the new phone so you can seamlessly restore when you install WhatsApp.
Backing Up WhatsApp to Google Drive
To switch to Google Drive backups:
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup
- Tap Backup to Google Drive
- Select backup frequency – daily, weekly etc.
- Tap Account and select Google account
- Enable encryption if desired
Now your chats, media will back up automatically to Google Drive. You can restore it when switching phones by logging into your Google account.
WhatsApp Backup Size Comparison
| Backup location | Size |
|---|---|
| Internal storage | 500 MB |
| Google Drive | 1 GB |
This table compares the backup size for internal storage vs Google Drive. Google Drive supports larger backup sizes.
Advantages of Internal Storage Backups
Backing up WhatsApp to internal storage has some advantages:
- Works without internet connection
- Data remains stored on your phone
- Easy to restore or transfer to another phone
- Encrypted backup for privacy
Disadvantages of Internal Storage Backups
Some disadvantages of using internal storage backups:
- Limited backup size due to phone storage
- Lost if phone is damaged or lost
- Not synced across devices automatically
- Need to manually transfer to new phone
WhatsApp Backup Settings
You can configure WhatsApp backup settings by going to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Here you can:
- Choose backup location – Google Drive or Local
- Set backup frequency – daily, weekly, monthly etc.
- Enable/disable auto backup over cellular data
- Back up immediately with the manual backup button
- Encrypt and password protect Google Drive backup
Adjust these as per your preferences for convenience, data usage and security.
Deleting Old WhatsApp Backups
Over time, you can accumulate many WhatsApp backup versions in the Databases folder. To save storage space, you can delete old backups:
- Go to File Manager > WhatsApp > Databases
- Sort backups by date modified
- Select and delete older backup files you don’t need
Make sure to keep a recent backup before deleting older ones just in case.
Conclusion
To summarize, WhatsApp backups on Android phones are stored in the Internal Storage/WhatsApp/Databases folder for chat history and settings. Media files are saved separately under Internal Storage/WhatsApp/Media. Backups are automatically taken daily if conditions are met and can also be done manually. Each backup file is a full encrypted crypt12 database file that can be restored when needed. Backup sizes vary from under 100MB to over 1GB based on chat and media volume. Internal storage backups do not require internet, but need to be manually transferred to new phones. For seamless cloud syncing, Google Drive backup can be enabled. With the proper backup configuration, you can always restore your valuable WhatsApp data and memories if needed.