Who Whatsapp Backup Tools is for#
Keep a permanent archive when changing phones
Run the archiver on a backup copy before you wipe the old phone, then keep the folder tree and browse the chats later in the viewer.
Skip if:
You want to recover messages you already deleted from a device.
Find an old attachment by contact and year
The Contacts and Groups folders sorted by year and direction make it quick to locate one file, and the viewer's search finds the surrounding conversation.
Skip if:
You only need to export a single chat as text, where the in-app export is enough.
Build a recurring local backup routine
Use a config.toml file and safe incremental runs to add new media to the same archive over time, merging several backup roots when needed.
Skip if:
You do not want to run command-line tools or manage backup files.
The problem it solves#
WhatsApp stores chats in a database and media in flat folders with generic file names. After a few years the data is large, hard to search outside the app, and tied to one phone. Exporting a single chat gives you a text file at best. People who want to keep their history, find an old attachment by contact and year, or read chats on a computer have no good built-in option, and paid recovery software means handing a copy of private conversations to a commercial tool.
How it solves it#
Structured media archive
wab-archiver sorts media into Contacts and Groups folders, then by year and Sent or Received. Files keep their original names, and modified dates are set to the original WhatsApp timestamps.
Local WhatsApp Web style viewer
wab-viewer shows chats in a layout that replicates WhatsApp Web, with dark and light themes, adjustable font size, regional date formats, reactions, quoted replies, and delivery and read receipts.
Full-text search and date jump
Search across every chat or inside one conversation, jump to a match, or pick a date to land on that day in a long thread.
Safe, incremental re-runs
The archiver skips identical files, never overwrites existing media, renames conflicting files with a numeric suffix, and writes CSV reports for duplicate and missing media.
Android and iOS support
Android works without root using an end-to-end encrypted backup and its 64-digit key. iOS works from a local device backup made with Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes.
Strengths and trade-offs#
Strengths
- Data stays on your machineThe README states that both tools run locally and no data leaves your computer. The archiver also works on a copy of your data, not the live device files.
- Tracks renamed contacts and changed numbersThe archiver detects contact renames, phone number migrations, and groups with identical names across runs, and renames the matching folder so the archive stays consolidated.
- Wide media coverageImages, videos, audio, voice notes, video messages, animated GIFs, and documents are archived, and the viewer can stream video and voice notes with seeking.
Trade-offs
- -Gaps in what it handlesStickers are not archived, and the viewer does not yet render call history, poll interactions, or stickers in the chat timeline.
- -Manual setup on your phone dataYou must extract the database and media yourself. Android needs end-to-end encrypted backup turned on, iOS needs it turned off, and both need Python 3.11 or later and some command-line work.
- -Young project with limited track recordThe repository was created in May 2026 and has 132 stars. The README says iOS restore mode is unsupported and iOS number change tracking is best-effort for contacts missing from the address book.
- -Archives only, no recoveryIt organises data that exists in a backup you provide. Nothing in the README describes recovering deleted messages or scanning a device for lost data.
Whatsapp Backup Tools vs alternatives#
Scope
iMyfone ChatsBack is a paid commercial product built for WhatsApp data recovery. WhatsApp Backup Tools is a free GPL-3.0 project built for archiving and browsing a backup you already have. If your goal is to get back messages that are gone, the commercial product targets that job and this project does not. If your goal is a permanent, searchable copy of existing chats and media, this project covers it.
Cost and licensing
WhatsApp Backup Tools has no licence fee and publishes its source under GPL-3.0. A paid product like iMyfone ChatsBack is closed software sold under commercial terms; check its current pricing on the vendor's site.
Privacy
The README states that both programs run locally and that no data leaves your machine. Check the vendor's documentation for how iMyfone ChatsBack handles your data before you compare on privacy.
Effort
Setup here is manual. You install with pip, extract the WhatsApp database and media from Android or iOS, and run command-line steps, with a config file for repeat runs. Expect more hands-on work than a packaged commercial tool.
Best fit
Choose WhatsApp Backup Tools when you want an archive you control and can inspect. Choose a paid recovery product when you need to retrieve deleted data.
Quick start#
Install with pip on Python 3.11 or later, then run the archiver and viewer against a copy of your backup.
```bash
pip install "git+https://github.com/auanasgheps/whatsapp-backup-tools.git"
wab-archiver archive --ios-backup /path/to/Backup/UDID --output /path/to/my-archive --dry-run
wab-viewer /path/to/my-archive
```What it's built on#
- Languages
- JavaScriptPython
- Frameworks
- Flask
FAQ#
What license does WhatsApp Backup Tools use?
It is released under GPL-3.0, according to the GitHub metadata. The source is open for you to read, run, and modify under that license.
Does it send my chats to any server?
No. The README says everything is processed locally on your computer and no data leaves your machine. The viewer runs a local web server that you open at http://127.0.0.1:5000.
Which platforms and phones does it support?
The tools run on Windows, Linux, and macOS with Python 3.11 or later. They read Android backups (no root needed, with end-to-end encrypted backup enabled) and iOS device backups (with in-app encrypted backup disabled).
Can it recover deleted WhatsApp messages?
The README describes archiving and viewing data from a backup you provide. It does not describe recovering deleted messages, so use a dedicated recovery tool for that job.
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