we often wonder where is the WhatsApp backup stored, especially in cases when we are cleaning up the storage space a bit. If the question is familiar to you, in this note we will explain what a backup is and in what space it is stored.
Backups, also called backups, allow information recovery in various applications, storing various data in spaces such as the cloud or even within the internal memory of our devices. Let's talk directly about the WhatsApp platform backups, which allow you to keep your conversations and multimedia files, regardless of whether there is a change of device or we reinstall the app.
Where the WhatsApp backup of our mobile is stored
Whether we are dealing with automated or manually created backups, they must be stored somewhere. Next, I will give you some answers about where and how is this data stored for restoring chat and multimedia content.
In a very simple and direct way, I can assure you that there are two storage systems for backup copies of your WhatsApp data, Google Drive and locally.
Local storage
Within the internal storage space of your mobile regularly, WhatsApp generates a fairly compact file that counts as a Backup of existing content in your messaging app.
The path used for this is called WhatsApp Databases and offers advantages when reinstalling the application. Here you can save not only the receipt of the files, but it will allow you to have them as if you had just downloaded them. This is useful, since many times the shipments expire and we cannot recover some files sent.
To access this backup, you need to your mobile has a file explorer, from where we will search for the backup files of our WhatsApp account. These are structured by the date of completion and their format is msgstore-yyyy-mm-dd-db.crypt14.
The letters "y" will be replaced by the year, "m" by the month and "d" by the day. This file is encrypted and you will not be able to view its content, the only way to do it is after the information is recovered in WhatsApp.
When searching for backups, you may find a directory called “backups”, however, the current configuration data of the application is retained in it.
Having a backup within the internal memory of the equipment, allows you to recover the information from the last known backup without the need for internet connection, since it requests the data locally.
Google Drive
Google Drive is a very attractive option, not only for WhatsApp, but also for a glarge number of platforms that allow direct connectivity with the cloud, which, in turn, allows access to backup data from any authorized location or device.
Possibly, you have already searched for this data in the cloud and you are wondering where the WhatsApp backup is stored in Google Drive. The answer to the question is quite simple, because you are backups are not visible for users, at least in a simple way.
This is because the backup copies are stored in hidden space, which prevents data loss, unauthorized access, even corruption of the files that are there. This does not mean that it is not functional, quite the contrary, because offers greater security to our data.
Carrying out the storage both locally and in the cloud, allows maximum data security and the option to recover them when necessary or so we want. TOboth options are highly recommended, regardless of the level of the user who runs it.
How to make a backup from an Android device
Believe it or not, WhatsApp backups run differently depending on the operating system With which our mobile has, here we will start how to do it from an Android mobile.
- Open the WhatsApp app as usual.
- Click on the three vertically aligned points located in the upper right area of the screen.
- Choose the option “Settings".
- Now look for and click on the option “Cat".
- On the new screen, one of the last options indicates “Backup”, we will click on it.
- Here you will find several options, the first to do it automatically, we can choose if it is done only locally or in Google Drive.
If we want to do it at the moment we are browsing the options, we simply click on “Save”. The process will begin immediately. It is important that you know that this can last a few seconds, we must be patient.
Carrying out the backup process can be a fundamental element, since prevent you from losing your conversations or even essential items with commercial or sentimental value to you.
It is recommended that consider this type of backup in short periods of time, so you will have less chance of losing information of interest. Another item to keep in mind is that these backups take up some storage space, an average of 27 MB per database.
How to back up to an iOS device
Unlike previously seen, on iOS devices, backups run on iCloud or on your computer. The steps to follow are basically the same, remembering that the app is very similar, if not identical. The steps to follow to backup in iCloud are:
- Make sure your mobile device is connected to a Wi-Fi network.
- Open the WhatsApp app and locate the three vertically aligned points at the top of the screen.
- Click on the option “Settings".
- The next step is to click on “iCloud”, for this you must click on your name.
- Subsequently, you must click on the button “Back up now".
Wait a few seconds and it will be done, saving your encrypted data in the cloud.
In case you want to make the backup from a computer, it is necessary to be connected with Finder or iTunes.
At the end of this article, we hope to have given an answer to where the WhatsApp backup is stored in a simple way. If you know another storage place, you can leave it in the comments.