Can I unzip, open and read the backup of WhatsApp on my computer?How to open WhatsApp backup on PCIf you have been using the WhatsApp messenger for a while, you have probably had long conversations with hundreds or thousands of messages.
Since chat history certainly contains important information, especially memories, you don't want to lose your messages if you lose or damage your phone.
To avoid this, WhatsApp has a function that, by default, create an automatic backup overnight that can be restored to the same or another phone with a few simple steps. But what if I want to access the same thing on my computer? Well, here we analyze it in detail.
You can also read: How to Send Mass WhatsApp Messages from PC for Free
How to Open WhatsApp Backup on PC
The WhatsApp backup file is named “msgstore.db.crypt12” and se Find in the path «data / data / com.whatsapp / databases». Apart from the msgstore.db.crypt12 file, which is the actual backup, there are other files in the folder.
The other files are old backups from the previous day. Also, the backup is automatically uploaded to the cloud if configured. In the version of Android, the backup file is placed in Google Drive, while in the version of iOS, WhatsApp backup is stored in iCloud.
First of all, I have to say that WhatsApp backup in the form of a Crypt12 file It cannot be simply copied to your computer, open, and then read the chat history. The reason is very simple: chat history and messages are encrypted for security reasons.
If you want to open a WhatsApp backup on your computer, you must first decrypt the backup file. The following guide describes how to do this.
Step 1: Find the key file and copy it.
First, it is necessary copy key file or the decryption file of your phone. You can only get the key file if you have the privileges of root on your phone. This file is called “key” and is located in “/data/com.whatsapp/files/”. Without root, you will not be able to access the key file.
Step 2: Copy the WhatsApp backup to your computer.
You can then copy the WhatsApp backup to your computer. You You can find the backup with file name “msgstore.db.crypt12” in “data/data/com.whatsapp/database” path as mentioned above.
In this case, use the actual backup, i.e. without date and time in the file name.
Step 3: Unlock the WhatsApp backup and open it on your computer.
Once you get the key file and the backup file, you can decrypt the crypt12 file using various programs and use it to open the backup on your computer and read the chat history.
We recommend the free program whatsappviewer If you want to decrypt WhatsApp backup on your computer, in the program, simply select the crypt12 file, the key file must be in the same directory.
The program will decrypt and open the file. You can then view the chat and message history in the program. Another good solution to decrypt and view chat on computer is Backuptrans Android WhatsApp Transfer. The program is not free, but it is actually very effective, especially since it does not require root privileges.
The tool allows you to export chats to your computer with a clear view, export complete chats including media such as HTML, PDF, DOC, CSV, attachments, etc. Works fine, it is quite easy to use and chats can be exported and printed very quickly.
Is it possible to open WhatsApp backup without password?
There is no known method yet to decrypt WhatsApp backup without a key file. To open the backup and read the chat history on your computer, you will need a decryption file using one of the two programs mentioned above.
You can also read: How To Hide WhatsApp Chats Without Archiving
My name is Javier Chirinos and I am passionate about technology. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in computers and video games, and that passion has turned into a job.
I have been publishing about technology and gadgets on the Internet for over 15 years, especially in mundobytes.com
I am also an expert in online marketing and communication and have knowledge in WordPress development.