WhatsApp (Android) -- how to restore from local backup???

esuhl

I just factory-reset my Android phone.  I prefer to manually backup my files locally, rather than using online services.  I've sucessfully restored everything, except my WhatsApp chat history. I followed the official instructions below but my backup isn't detected when I install/setup WhatsApp on the wiped phone.

https://faq.whatsapp.com/android/chats/how-to-restore-your-chat-history

I've tried deleting WhatsApp's cache and data, uninstalling it, and moving the backup to various locations (the root of the internal storage, the root of the SD-card, etc.) and re-installing WhatsApp, but my backup is never detected.  :-/

I'm logged in with the same Google Account, using the same SIM card with the same phone number, and even the same phone.  I've never enabled end-to-end encryption for backups. I can't think what else I can try.

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong...?

Cheers :-)

==================================

P.S.  The backup I have is a folder named WhatsApp, containing these files:

SDCARD/WhatsApp/Backups:

  chatsettingsbackup.db.crypt14

  commerce_backup.db.crypt14

  stickers.db.crypt14

  wallpapers.backup.crypt13

  wallpapers.backup.crypt14

SDCARD/WhatsApp/Databases:

  msgstore-2022-06-10.1.db.crypt14  (and similar files with earlier dates)

  msgstore.db.crypt14

SDCARD/WhatsApp/Media:

  (many subfolders containing images/videos/stickers, etc. that I've sent or received in chats)

Neil_Jones

DId you not back up to Google Drive?  It would have found the backup on its own then without all the faffing around

Anyway the official instructions say "In the file manager app, navigate to your local storage or sdcard > WhatsApp > Databases. If your data isn't stored on an SD card, you might see "internal storage" or "main storage" instead. Copy the most recent backup file to the local storage's Databases folder of your new device."  Have you done this?

You can't just restore from any old folder in Whatsapp AFAIK, you have to put in a specific location.  If you're not doing this then WhatsApp won't be interested.

RumRat

I've never had any success with 'Local backups' they always seemed to lose everything and not restore.
I've just changed over a phone for my wife and using Google drive backup worked like a charm. Everything, including photos, was restored in minutes.
I know that's not really helpful to you and I'm sorry, but I would always advise to backup to Google Drive if WhatsApp chats are important to you.
Hope you find a solution..

esuhl

Thanks, both.  I finally figured it out (yay).  I made another backup, and located the new files.  It seems the WhatsApp folder has to be moved to the following location on the internal storage:

/storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp

Phew!  They don't make it easy, do they?

RumRat

esuhl said:

Thanks, both.  I finally figured it out (yay).  I made another backup, and located the new files.  It seems the WhatsApp folder has to be moved to the following location on the internal storage:

/storage/emulated/0/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp

Phew!  They don't make it easy, do they?

Glad you found a solution....They actually do make it easy with the Google backup....