How to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Images

David Darlington

Jul 21, 2026 • Filed to: SD Card Solutions • Proven solutions

TL;DR:

You can recover deleted WhatsApp images by restoring Google Drive or local backups on Android, or by using Wondershare Recoverit for PC storage and Wondershare dr.fone for Android phones if no backups exist.
    ● For Android users with backups, uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp to trigger a Google Drive restore, or rename your local backup file to msgstore.db.crypt12 in the WhatsApp/Databases folder before reinstalling.
    ● If you lack an Android backup, connect your phone to a computer with USB debugging enabled and use Wondershare dr.fone-Data Recovery to scan directly for deleted WhatsApp attachments.
    ● To restore WhatsApp photos lost from a PC or external storage, run a drive scan using Wondershare Recoverit Data Recovery, which allows up to 100MB of free data recovery.

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Deleted WhatsApp images can come from different places: the WhatsApp chat thread, the phone's media folder, the Gallery or Photos app, Google Photos, a Google Drive or iCloud WhatsApp backup, an SD card, an exported chat folder, or a computer backup. The right recovery method depends on where the image existed before it disappeared.

If the image was only removed from a chat but still saved in the phone's media folder, you may be able to find it without restoring a backup. If it was deleted from local storage, recovery depends on whether a backup or recoverable local copy still exists.

• Use Recoverit when the missing WhatsApp images were saved on a PC, SD card, USB drive, external drive, exported folder, Downloads folder, or another local storage device.
• Use WhatsApp restore when the images are included in a Google Drive or iCloud WhatsApp backup.
• Use File Manager or Gallery when the images may still be stored in the Android media folder or recently deleted album.
• Avoid overpromising recovery when there is no backup, no local copy, or the deleted data has already been overwritten.

Part 1: Recover Deleted WhatsApp Images on PC with Recoverit

If your WhatsApp images were downloaded to a Windows PC or Mac, exported from WhatsApp, copied from Android or iPhone, saved from WhatsApp Web, stored on an SD card, or kept on an external drive, Recoverit Data Recovery can scan that local storage location for deleted image files.

1. Install Recoverit on a safe drive. If possible, install it on a different disk from the one that lost the WhatsApp images.
2. Select the original location. Choose the PC folder, Recycle Bin location, SD card, USB drive, external drive, or exported WhatsApp media folder where the images were stored.

3. Scan and filter images. Use file type filters such as JPG, PNG, HEIC, WebP, or image preview to narrow the results.

4. Preview before recovery. Open the previewable files and confirm the WhatsApp images are intact.

5. Recover to another location. Save the recovered photos to a different drive or cloud folder instead of the original loss location.

Reference for the updated free quota: Recoverit Data Recovery Free official page.

Part 2: Perform WhatsApp Photo Recovery on Android Phone

Before uninstalling WhatsApp or restoring a backup, check whether the deleted WhatsApp photos are still saved locally on the Android phone. In many cases, a photo can disappear from a chat but remain in the media folder, Gallery, Photos trash, or cloud photo sync.

• Check WhatsApp Images folder: Open File Manager and browse to Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images. On older Android versions, also check WhatsApp/Media/WhatsApp Images.
• Check Sent folder: If you sent the image to someone, check WhatsApp Images/Sent.
• Check Gallery or Photos trash: Open Gallery, Google Photos, or the device photo app and review Recently Deleted, Trash, or Bin.
• Check Google Photos sync: If backup and sync was enabled, search Google Photos before restoring WhatsApp.
• Check Downloads and screenshots: Some WhatsApp images may have been saved manually outside the WhatsApp folder.

Method 1: Recover Deleted WhatsApp Images from Google Drive Backup

If your Android WhatsApp backup was created before the images were deleted, you can restore that backup during WhatsApp setup. This method is useful when the missing images were included in the chat backup and are no longer available in the local media folder.

1. Confirm the backup first. Open WhatsApp, go to Settings, choose Chats, then open Chat backup to check the last backup time and Google Account.
2. Protect current chats. If you have new messages after the backup date, export important chats or create a separate record before reinstalling because restoring an older backup can replace the current WhatsApp state.
3. Reinstall WhatsApp. Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp from the official app store.
4. Verify the same phone number. Use the phone number connected to the backup.
5. Use the same Google Account. Make sure the Android phone is signed in to the Google Account that stores the WhatsApp backup.
6. Tap Restore. When WhatsApp detects the backup, choose Restore and wait for chats and media to finish restoring.
7. Check the images. Open the relevant chats and the WhatsApp Images folder after media restoration completes.

If the backup was created after the images were deleted, this method may not bring them back. In that case, check older local backups, Google Photos, Gallery trash, exported folders, or local storage copies.

Method 2: Recover Deleted WhatsApp Images from Local Android Backup

Android WhatsApp may keep local database backups and media folders on the phone storage. Use this method only when the local backup was created before the images were deleted and you understand that restoring a database backup can roll WhatsApp back to an earlier state.

1. Open File Manager. Browse the current and older WhatsApp media paths and search for the missing image name, date, or folder.
2. Copy important current data. Before restoring a local database, export important new chats or save important media because the restore can replace the current chat state.
3. Find the backup file. In the Databases folder, look for files such as msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12 or a newer crypt version used by the device.
4. Choose a backup before deletion. Select a local backup dated before the WhatsApp images were deleted.
5. Rename carefully. Rename the chosen backup to msgstore.db.crypt12 only if it matches the WhatsApp version and backup format used on the device.
6. Reinstall and restore. Reinstall WhatsApp, verify the same phone number, and choose local restore when WhatsApp detects the backup.
7. Check restored media. After restore, open the target chat and the WhatsApp Images folder to confirm whether the deleted images returned.

Method 3: Use an Android Data Recovery Tool

If you don't have a backup for the missing WhatsApp photos, the only way to get them back is to use a data recovery tool. One of the best is Wondershare dr.fone-Data Recovery (Android). This tool is designed to help you easily recover any data from your Android device including app data like WhatsApp whether you have a backup or not. The following are some of the program's most notable features;

• It has a very high success rate when it comes to data recovery
• It can recovery nearly all types of data including photos, contacts, videos, messages, call logs And app data like WhatsApp chats
• It can also be used to recover data from broken Samsung devices
• It supports up to 6000 Android devices and all versions of the Android OS

The following is a step by step guide to help you recover the deleted WhatsApp data on your Android device using dr.fone-Recover (Android);

Step 1: Install the dr.fone Toolkit on your computer and launch it. In the main window, you should see a few different tools. Click on "Data Recovery" to begin.

Step 2: Now connect the Android device to the computer using USB cables. Enable USB debugging on the device to allow the program to detect the device.

Step 3: In the next window, select "WhatsApp Messages & Attachments" and then click "Next".

Step 4: Check "Scan for deleted files" to allow the program to scan only for the deleted WhatsApp photos. Click "Next" to begin the analysis.

Step 5: When the scan is complete, preview the files listed on the next window and then select the data you want to recover. Click "Recover to Device" or "Recover to Computer" to get your photos back.

Part 3: Recover Deleted WhatsApp Images on iPhone

For iPhone, check the Photos app and iCloud-related locations before reinstalling WhatsApp. If the deleted WhatsApp images were saved to Photos, they may be recoverable without touching WhatsApp backup.

Conclusion

The safest way to recover deleted WhatsApp images is to identify the storage source first. If the photos still exist in the WhatsApp Images folder, Gallery trash, Google Photos, iCloud Photos, Downloads, or an exported folder, recover them from that local or synced location before reinstalling WhatsApp.

If the deleted images are inside a WhatsApp backup, restore the backup through WhatsApp setup with the same phone number and the same Google Account or Apple Account. Remember that WhatsApp cloud backups are not normal folders for downloading one image directly, and encrypted backups may require the password or encryption key.

If the missing images were saved on a PC, SD card, USB drive, external drive, or exported WhatsApp folder, Recoverit Data Recovery can scan the local storage device and preview recoverable image files. For the best chance of success, stop using the affected storage and save recovered images to a different location.