Quick Checks: How to Restore WhatsApp from an SD Card

WhatsApp has quickly become must-have software for Android and iOS users. It facilitates communication and provides users with a variety of possibilities. However, due to users' bad management of the software, there is a risk of losing data and chat history. Backup is one of those things that everyone knows they should do, yet far too many individuals fail to do so - sometimes with disastrous results.

Fortunately, once you know how to back up and restore WhatsApp from an SD card, you can set it and forget it, comfortable in the knowledge that everything on your WhatsApp is safe in the event of an accident. WhatsApp will take care of your routine backups, whether it's messages from your employer, images from a night out, or just humorous memes shared with you.

Part 1: Can WhatsApp data be restored from an SD card?

Files were saved to another, physical location, such as an SD card, when you restored them from a local backup. WhatsApp creates local backups automatically and stores them to your phone's internal storage, main storage, or portable SD card. Open these storage options on your phone to find local backups for WhatsApp chats. The data in local backups are only for the previous seven days.

Part 2: Ways to restore WhatsApp from an SD card

You must first back up WhatsApp before proceeding with the restoration. Because WhatsApp always tries to back up to Google Drive first, you'll need to stop it to force a local backup. You'll also need to make sure you have adequate space for the backup — WhatsApp databases may be enormous — and you'll need to remove your SD card if you want the backup to be stored on your phone's storage.

Step 1. On your Android smartphone, open WhatsApp.

Step 2. To access the menu, tap the three dots.

Step 3. To access the backup options menu, tap on “Settings”, “Chats”, and lastly “Chat backup”.

Step 4. Tap “Back up to Google Drive” at the bottom of the “Google Drive settings” section.

Step 5. Select “Never” from the drop-down menu.

Step 6. Return to the “Chat backup” menu and select “BACK UP”. WhatsApp will begin the backup process for your messages and attachments.

To see the backups, you'll need to connect your SD card to a computer or download a file management app from the Google Play Store. Navigate to SD Card/WhatsApp/Databases after you've done that. (Depending on the SD card, it may have a different name.) The last week's backups will be stored in this directory.

The name format for the most recent backup will be similar to msgstore.db.crypt14. The backup date will appear in the first portion of the filename for older backups.

Restore WhatsApp to the original phone

If you want to restore WhatsApp from an SD card to the same phone, you'll need to uninstall it from your Android phone and then reinstall it from the Google Play Store.

Step 1. Open your Android phone's Settings app, then go to Applications (or Apps) > Application Manager (for Samsung devices) > scroll down and tap WhatsApp.

Step 2. To remove WhatsApp from your Android phone, go to the next screen and tap “Uninstall”.

Step 3. After you've uninstalled WhatsApp, go to Google Play Store and reinstall it on your device.

Step 4. Open WhatsApp after it has been downloaded.

Step 5. Finally, agree to the WhatsApp Terms of Service and validate your phone number by following the on-screen instructions.

Step 6. Once your phone number has been validated, WhatsApp will notify you of any backups that are available on your device. Restore WhatsApp from SD Card Backup by tapping on “Restore”.

Step 7. When the Restore Process is finished, follow the next step to complete this process.

Restore WhatsApp to the source phone

Follow the steps below to restore WhatsApp backup from the SD card to the source Phone after making a backup to SD Card.

Step 1. Copy the WhatsApp backup from the old device to the new device's SD card.

Step 2. On your Android phone, go to the Google Play Store and download WhatsApp.

Step 3. When WhatsApp has finished downloading, press the "Open" button.

Step 4. Tap the “Agree and Continue” button to accept the WhatsApp Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Step 5. Select Country, enter Phone Number, and then press “Next” on the next screen.

Step 6. Tap “OK” to allow WhatsApp to validate your phone number on the next pop-up.

Step 7. Once your phone number has been verified, WhatsApp will check for backups and notify you. To restore all of your WhatsApp messages, tap “Restore”.

Step 8. When you see the checkmark, wait for the Restore Process to finish and then press “Next”.

Step 9. To finish the Restore procedure, type your Profile Name on the following screen and then touch “Next”

You've completed the process of restoring WhatsApp from an SD card backup by following the above-mentioned steps.

Part 3: Use MobileTrans when getting failed to restore WhatsApp from SD card

While you may be able to backup WhatsApp data to your SD card, there are several drawbacks to this method. To begin with, SD cards are prone to damage, and when they are destroyed or corrupted by a single file, retrieving any data from the SD card can be impossible. MobileTrans for WhatsApp is a much easier solution to backup and restore WhatsApp backup from SD card data on your device.

Step-by-step guide for using MobileTrans:

Would you wish to back up and restore your iOS WhatsApp to an Android device? MobileTrans allows you to back up your iOS WhatsApp, move WhatsApp files to SD card and restore it to your Android phone, as well as the other way around. The entire procedure can be completed in stages.

• To begin, open MobileTrans and select Backup&Restore > Backup app data from the Backup&Restore menu. Then go with WhatsApp

Step 1. Connect your iPhone/Android phone to a computer

• Connect your iPhone or Android phone to your PC via USB cable. MobileTrans will load four distinct sorts of data for you to backup.

Here's an example once you've linked your Android phone:

Step 2. Start backup

• Click the "Start" button now. You don't need to do anything extra during backup for the iPhone.
• After you click "Start" on your Android smartphone, the software will prompt you on how to back up in detail. Popup windows, such as the ones shown here, can be seen.
• When you see this window, go to your Android phone's settings and backup WhatsApp to the device's local storage.

• Please restore WhatsApp data from the phone's internal storage by logging in to WhatsApp on the Android smartphone.

Step 3. Backup completed

• Throughout the backup procedure, keep your phone connected. After the backup is complete, you'll notice this on the software.

Step 4. Restore WhatsApp messages

• Locate the WhatsApp backup file and choose to restore it to your phone.

• You only have to wait until the data conversion to the target phone is complete. After the restoration is complete, you'll see a window similar to the one below.

FAQs about transferring, backing up & restoring WhatsApp data

Q1: Can WhatsApp backup to SD card?

Every night at 2 a.m., WhatsApp creates a local backup. If you have an SD card, this will be saved to it, but if you don't have one, it will be stored in your phone's local storage.

Q2: Where is WhatsApp backup stored?

Local backups are saved in your phone's device storage under WhatsApp > Databases as encrypted database files.

Q3: How do I transfer WhatsApp chat history?

Go to WhatsApp Settings > Talks > Chat Backup to back up the chats on your old phones. The green 'Backup' button can be found there. To back up your chats locally on your phone, press the button. The backup file can be found in WhatsApp > Databases in your local storage.

Q4: How long are deleted WhatsApp messages stored?

WhatsApp does not save messages on its servers. Once your messages are delivered, all of your chats are wiped from WhatsApp servers. If your message goes unanswered for 30 days, WhatsApp will hold it and transmit it when the recipient's WhatsApp connects.

How to Recover WhatsApp Messages After Uninstall Without Backup

How to Fix WhatsApp Messages Disappeared Without Deleting: Quick Guide

Top Methods for Important WhatsApp Chat Backup

How to Recover WhatsApp Disappearing Messages

Axel Nash

staff Editor