XPost: alt.comp.os.windows-11, alt.comp.microsoft.windows
From: NONONOmisc07@fmguy.com
In comp.mobile.android, on Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:11:17 -0500, Maria Sophia
wrote:
>Herbert Kleebauer wrote:
>>>> A few days ago I exported a >500 MByte chat. I saved it locally on the
>>>> phone and then transferred the zip file to the PC with ftp (using
>>>> "primitive ftpd" on the phone and "Windows Explorer" on the PC) . I
>>
>>> What format has the chat?
>>
>> The chat is exported as a zip file. It contains the chat as .txt
>> file (utf-8 including smileys.) and all pictures, videos, pdfs etc.
>> in the original format.
>
>To add value to what Herbert kindly offered, I ran research for the team.
>
>While I shun highly marketed Android apps such as WhatsApp is, I use it for
>my grandkids as it helps to get videos of the grandkids and to talk to
>relatives in Germany so even I use this highly marketing VOIP tool.
>
>I don't back up anything but the media, and since Android is just a drive
>letter on Windows, it's trivial to easily backup Android files to the PC.'
My earlier phone shows up in the File Manager. Even when not connected
there is an ini file for it in a high level directory.
But this phone never does. It's a Moto G.
>
>But the messages inside of WhatsApp are apparently different from the media
>in terms of how they're stored (encrypted, apparently). So you need a key.
>
>So, to help the team, as always, I looked up just now how to back up the
>text messages from unrooted Android WhatsApp to the Windows PC filesystem.
>
>In my humble opinion, WhatsApp tries too hard to get us to use Google
>Drive, when something like our personal chats belong on our network.
I agree.
>But I found these two Windows programs which purport to decrypt
>and save the Android WhatsApp messages to your Windows PC.
>
>This is, what I think Herbert was suggesting worked for a single chat:
>1. Open the WhatsApp chat you want to save.
>2. Tap the three dots -> More -> Export chat.
>3. Choose "Include media".
>4. WhatsApp will generate a ZIP file.
Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. 3 chats worked about 8
chats did not, over about 16 attempts. When I look at them inside, they
don't look any different from the ones that worked. One of the 3 that
worked is very long. Noneof them have any media.
> ChatName.txt
> Media/
> IMG-20240101-WA0001.jpg
> IMG-20240101-WA0002.jpg
> ...
>5. Choose
> a. "Save to Files",
> b. "Share via Bluetooth",
> c. "Send to your PC via LAN app", or
> d. "Send via USB MTP".
I ddon't get these choices. This is Android 11. Could that be the
difference, or are these choices within Whatsapp?.
If a later version than 11 would run on this phone, wouldn't it have
updated automatically?
>Always eschewing cloud-services marketing gimmicks, we can
>A. Save to device storage
That doesn't seem to be an option.
> Then copy via USB or by mounting the phone as a drive letter on Windows
>B. Share to a LAN file-sharing app
> (e.g., KDE Connect or LocalSend, both of which are FOSS)
>C. Send via Bluetooth
> (slow but works)
3 times, but not the other times.
>Apparently there are FOSS whatsapp viewers/backups for Windows
>which will decrypt and save every chat, two of which I installed.
>
>Windows WhatsApp Viewer
>
>
>
>
>
>D:\software\telecom\whatsapp\whatsappviewer\WhatsApp.Viewer.zip
> Name: WhatsApp.Viewer.zip
> Size: 1425323 bytes (1391 KiB)
> SHA256: DC83B74719C82AB9AB2FEC9E62768ABB530791EB49BF69F444DFFB8BDD543D07
>Unzip to a single file:
>C:\app\telecom\whatsapp\WhatsApp.Viewer\WhatsApp Viewer.exe
> Name: WhatsApp Viewer.exe
> Size: 2445312 bytes (2388 KiB)
> SHA256: 31E6C5CDA73CA16439E12F5A8AD642796DCA00DCEF4871EB74DB5C6171C4408F
>Create a shortcut in your taskbar pullout cascade menu folder:
>C:\menu\telecom\whatsapp\WhatsApp.Viewer\WhatsAppViewer.lnk
> Target: C:\app\telecom\whatsapp\WhatsApp.Viewer\WhatsApp Viewer.exe
>How to use
> a. Get your key and database file from the phone (see XDA thread above).
> b. Open WhatsApp Viewer
> c. File -> Open -> Select file
> d. Select msgstore.db in the folder "extracted"
> e. Leave account name empty
> f. Optional: Import contact names from the wa.db file
> g. Click on a chat to show the messages.
>
>WhatsApp Key/DB Extractor
>Allows WhatsApp users to extract their cipher key and databases on
>non-rooted Android devices. Requires Java on Windows. And adb.
>
>
>Name: WhatsApp-Key-DB-Extractor-master.zip
>Size: 7462622 bytes (7287 KiB)
>SHA256: BEB32B7494D9BE95AF90219E1CA73209808C55AD4FA6AAEFF539B8FB1C4F4FE2
>Extract to:
> a. Batch script: WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.bat
> b. PowerShell script: WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.ps1
> c. Shell script: WhatsAppKeyDBExtract.sh
>
>Interestingly, a "grep.exe" came with this package, which, in and of
>itself, is a useful tool to put in the path for us old Unix folks.
> C:\app\telecom\whatsapp\dbextract\
> AdbWinApi.dll
> AdbWinUsbApi.dll
> abe.jar
> adb.exe
> curl.exe
> grep.exe
> libiconv2.dll
> libintl3.dll
> pcre3.dll
> regex2.dll
> tar.exe
Unfortunately, I'm still trying to get the file to Windows
>I haven't tested it, but if anyone tests these out, it will be useful to
>all for you to write it up so that we can all benefit from your effort.
Thanks for all this work.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)
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