See where photos and videos received on WhatsApp are stored and how to try to recover deleted files from your memory card.
Why does WhatsApp media usually stay on the phone?
With automatic download enabled, each received photo and video is saved in a folder on your phone, separate from your conversations. When you delete a conversation, WhatsApp asks if you also want to delete the media. If this option is unchecked, the files remain.
Therefore, even when the message has disappeared, it's worth searching for the file before resorting to a recovery tool.
Look in the WhatsApp media folder
Install Files from Google Play, if you don't already have it, open the Browse tab and tap on Internal Storage.
Go to Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp > Media. On older phones, the WhatsApp folder may be located directly in the internal storage.
Go to WhatsApp Images and WhatsApp Video. Inside each one, the Sent subfolder stores what you've sent. Sort by date to find the files from the day of the conversation.
Files deleted by Files by Google go to the app's own trash bin and remain there for 30 days. Open the app's menu, tap Trash, and restore what you need.
If WhatsApp Images folder backups were enabled in Google Photos, the photo may be in the cloud. Search by date and also check the Google Photos trash.
Recover from memory card
On a memory card, the chances are usually better than on internal memory, provided nothing new has been written to it since it was erased. One exception: if the card was configured as internal memory, it is encrypted and cannot be read by the computer.
If your phone says there's an error with the card and offers to format it, refuse. Formatting creates a new structure and greatly reduces the chances of success.
With the card in the device, open DiskDigger and start searching for photos. Without root access, it usually finds mainly thumbnails and cached copies.
Place the card in a reader connected to your computer. DiskDigger also has a Windows version, which scans the entire card and can find more files, including videos.
Save the recovered files to your computer or the cloud, never to the card itself, so as not to overwrite other files that can still be saved.
When the recovered video won't open
Recovered videos are sometimes incomplete because part of the file has already been occupied by other data. Try opening it in a different player before giving up, but be aware that not every damaged file can be repaired.
How to avoid losing photos and videos again
- In Google Photos, enable backup of the WhatsApp Images folder in your device's folder backup settings.
- When deleting a conversation, leave the option to also delete the media unchecked if you want to keep the files.
- From time to time, copy the contents of the memory card to your computer or to the cloud.
1. Files by Google
Google Play
Open the WhatsApp media folder and show photos and videos that are still on your phone.
The app's trash bin stores deleted files for 30 days.
Download on Google Play
2. DiskDigger
Google Play
It scans the memory card and internal memory for deleted photos and videos.
Without root access, the result is usually partial. Save anything you find that's not on the card.
Download on Google Play
3. Google Photos
Google Play
You may have a copy of your WhatsApp photos if backup of that folder was enabled.
Check the library by date and the trash can, which keeps items for up to 60 days.
Download on Google PlayFrequently Asked Questions
I deleted the conversation. Do the photos disappear too?
It depends. When deleting, WhatsApp offers the option to also remove the media. If it wasn't marked as such, the files remain in the phone's folder.
I can't find the com.whatsapp folder. What now?
On Android 11 or later, some file managers hide the Android folder. Files by Google usually shows the media folder without any problems.
Are the audio files also stored in this folder?
Yes. Voice messages are stored in WhatsApp Voice Notes, and other audio files are stored in WhatsApp Audio, both within the same Media folder.
The card is showing an error on the computer. What should I do?
Do not attempt to format the card. Try another reader or another USB port. If the card is physically damaged, only a data recovery lab can attempt this, and it will be at a cost and without warranty.
Can Files by Google recover deleted files?
It doesn't scan the memory. It helps find files that still exist and restore what's in its recycle bin.