Do you know what msgstore is? Have you ever seen this file? If you frequently use WhatsApp , you may have heard or seen it on your device. It contains all your chats and can be useful when you want to change your mobile.
But what is msgstore? And what is it for? In this article we will explain about this file and how you can open it from your mobile. We will also clarify other doubts related to the subject to get the most out of your favorite messaging app.
What is msgstore?
When talking about msgstore, we refer to the files that store WhatsApp chat data. In general, the term msgstore goes together with the abbreviation db which means “database”, in addition to the exact date of creation, the word “crypt” and a couple of numbers. An example of a name for this type of file would be msgstore. db. 2023. 07. 18. crypt12.
The last two numbers are the type of encryption used in your WhatsApp, among which we can mention the following:
- Msgstore.db. crypt5
- Msgstore.db. crypt7
- Msgstore.db. crypt8
- Msgstore.db. crypt12
- Msgstore.db. crypt14
Unless you have an old Xiaomi mobile or an old version of WhatsApp, those would be the types of files that you would find in the app’s database folder. In turn, you will find several files, since it is stored according to the date and encryption used in each chat room.
What is msgstore used for on mobile?
The msgstore file is used to store all the messages created in WhatsApp chat rooms. And it is that this app has an end-to-end encryption system , which prevents other people from deciphering messages.
The idea is that if someone tries to hack our WhatsApp , they will not be able to access our content with a plain text editor since everything is encrypted. By default, WhatsApp encrypts all messages to protect the privacy of its users against cyber attacks.
Remember that, for security purposes, you must always update WhatsApp to its latest version from the Google Play Store.
How to open msgstore files step by step
Finding a msgstore file is easy. You just have to follow these steps:
- Go to “My files” on your mobile.
- Click on “Internal memory”.
- Select the WhatsApp folder. Normally the path is: Android > media > com.whatsapp > WhatsApp
- Go to “Databases”. If you click on one of the files, surely it will have come out that you cannot open it with a message similar to this:
This is because, as we mentioned above, they are encrypted. But that does not mean that they cannot be accessed. For that, you need to decrypt WhatsApp files first , and then open msgstore. Next, we will explain how to do it step by step.
How to decrypt WhatsApp msgstore files
There are apps or websites that promise to open crypt 12 and other encrypted files, but we must warn you that most of them are frauds . The only way is if you have root on your Android .
If you have it, you can install WhatsApp Viewer on your PC by following these steps that we will indicate below:
- Go to the GitHub page .
- Select the zipped file to download WhatsApp Viewer.
- On your mobile, go to the WhatsApp “Database” folder.
- Look for the encryption key that WhatsApp uses under this address: data>data> com. whatsapp > files > key.
- Connect your mobile to PC and run WhatsApp Viewer.
How to open msgstore step by step
With WhatsApp Viewer you will not only be able to open msgstore crypt 14 files to view them but also export your messages to plain text format or even HTML. Regardless of what you are looking for, you just have to do the following:
- Open the newly installed app on your PC and select the File> Decrypt.cryptXX address (replace the XX with the encryption number used in the file).
- Select the msgstore files you want to open with the correct key.
- On the left side you will see the conversations in plain text, accompanied by the phone numbers of your contacts.
- Press the “Export” button and choose if you want to save them in HTML, txt or json format to access them from your computer or mobile.
What happens if I delete msgstore?
You are probably wondering if you can delete the msgstore files and what happens if you do. When a backup is deleted, only the messages that were last backed up are actually deleted , so you can keep subsequent conversations.
If all data is deleted, it no longer appears in chats or groups where you started the conversation. Neither will the files received or the settings you have previously made in the app appear.
How to delete msgstore step by step
Unlike trying to open a msgstore file, deleting it is much easier. Just keep in mind that if you don’t back up your chat rooms with Google Drive or another cloud storage, you may lose your messages .
But if you want to clean up Android and free up storage space on your device, you just have to do the following:
- Go to the “My Files” app.
- Select the WhatsApp folder and then go to “Database”.
- Long-press one of the msgstore files, then select the ones you want to delete.
- Click on the “Delete” button and confirm the action. The file will go to the mobile recycle bin .
Drive: eliminar msgstore
Is it safe to delete the file?
Now that you know you can easily delete it, the question is whether it’s safe to do so. On the one hand, if you have activated the function of making backup copies in the cloud with Google Drive, you should not worry. Your messages can be restored by this means when you want to change the device.
But on the other hand, local backups are also useful if you don’t have a good internet connection. In that case, pay attention if you have something important to save, otherwise it would be difficult to recover deleted messages or recover conversations in the future.
Msgstore: everything you need to know
What is stored in msgstore?
msgstore files store encrypted WhatsApp messages.
What happens if I delete the WhatsApp database?
If you delete your WhatsApp database, all the messages and files you have sent and received in the app would be lost. The groups you are in, the previous settings and the profile picture would also be deleted.
What is msgstore.db. crypt 14?
It is a file with the ending cryp14 with which you can restore or migrate your chat history.
How to open a file msgstore.db. crypt 14 on my mobile?
The only way is to have root access to the device whose key is located at this address: data > data > com. whatsapp > files > key. Otherwise, you won’t be able to open that or any other msgstore.
Now that you know what msgstore is, tell us if you were able to open the files on your mobile to access the backups on your WhatsApp. If you had difficulties or want to know more about these topics, leave us your comments to solve your doubts.
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