How do I read deleted WhatsApp messages?
When someone deletes a message "for everyone", WhatsApp replaces it with "This message was deleted". But your phone showed you a notification when it arrived. Notification Tracker & Alarms saves that notification in a searchable history, so you can still read it.
Set it up in three steps
- Install Notification Tracker & Alarms from Google Play.
- Open the app and allow notification access when it asks. This is what lets it see the notifications your phone shows.
- That's all. From now on every WhatsApp message notification is saved. When a message gets deleted, open the History tab, find the chat and read the original.
What is saved, and what isn't
- Saved: the sender, the message text and the time, for messages that arrived after you installed the app.
- Not saved: messages that were deleted before you installed the app. The app cannot go back in time, so install it before you need it.
- Not saved: a message that arrives while that chat is open on your screen. No notification is shown then, so there is nothing to save.
- Notifications must be on. If you turned off notifications for WhatsApp or for a chat, no notification is shown, so nothing is saved.
- Photos, videos and voice messages show up in the notification only as a label such as "Photo", so the file itself is not kept.
Frequently asked questions
Can I recover messages that were deleted before I installed the app? No. The app saves messages from the moment you install it and allow notification access. Earlier messages cannot be restored.
Will the sender know I read the deleted message? No. The app only reads the notifications on your phone. It never opens the chat, so nobody is told.
Do I need root? No. A normal install from Google Play and the notification access permission are enough.
Is my data uploaded anywhere? No. Your history stays on your phone.
Is it free? Yes, the app is free to use. Pro adds unlimited history and removes ads.
Does it work with WhatsApp Business? Yes. Notifications from WhatsApp Business are saved the same way.