Showing posts with label Whatsapp. Show all posts
WhatsApp is currently rolling out backup to Google Drive functionality, wherein you can upload your message database and WhatsApp media to Google Drive. While the addition of this feature is nice, you are stuck with Google Drive as the cloud service. Today we will see how you can use almost any cloud service for storing the backup.
We will be using Bittorrent’s awesome Sync app to make this happen. Let’s see how.
Installing Sync on your Phone and PC
Download and install the Sync app for your PC from here. Similarly install the app on your phone from Play store. We have already shown you how to set up Sync on your PC, so I will not go through that again.
On the phone, after you have installed the app, tap the plus icon in the lower right corner of the screen and then on New backup. Select the location of your WhatsApp folder, which is usually located in the root folder of internal storage.
Next touch the WhatsApp folder and then on the Devices which will open a pop up asking you to either email or copy the link. You can email the link to yourself or copy to the clipboard and thensync to PC.
Cool Tip: Want to easily share text based stuff such as links, names, phone numbers etc. between your phone and PC? Just copy the contents, select send to email and save as draft in Gmail and it will instantly sync to the web app on PC.
Backup to Cloud
Step 1: Install the app of your preferred cloud service. If your cloud service doesn’t have an app, then you are out of luck. Do the usual procedure for setup and jump to the next step.
Step 2: Open the Sync app and click on the settings icon in the top-right corner and then onManual connection.
Paste the link of the WhatsApp folder from the previous step.
The trick here is to use Bittorrent Sync to sync the WhatsApp folder locally to your PC and saving that in the folder of your preferred cloud service. I am going to use OneDrive for this article, so I will save the WhatsApp folder in the OneDrive’s folder on my PC. Similarly you have to save this folder to the folder of your preferred cloud service.
After you add the folder, it will require approval. To approve open the Sync app on you phone and click on the notification icon in the upper-right corner and tap the tick mark.
Restoring your Messages
While restoring messages from the Google Drive is seamless, our method requires the following steps to be performed.
Step 1: Install and set up WhatsApp on your phone. Once everything is up and running, go toSettings > Apps and stop the WhatsApp app. Also disable Wi-Fi and mobile data.
Step 2: After you have stopped the app, copy the WhatsApp folder, the one on your PC, to your phones internal memory. Do not copy the folder to the SD card, WhatsApp only detects folder stored in the internal memory.
Step 3: Start WhatsApp again and you will have all your messages. If they don’t load, restart your phone.
Closing Thoughts
This method is not only restricted to WhatsApp, you can backup any folder on your phone.Throw in IFTTT and you have many varied contraptions.
As we’ve migrated away from instant messaging clients like MSN Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger in favor of the likes of Facebook, it’s become more difficult to search through your conversation history. Many apps make how to search quickly for a conversation by name pretty obvious, but really digging through to find a specific message can sometimes be a complex chore.
WhatsApp messaging, photo via Shutterstock.
Popular messaging service WhatsApp seems to just about nail searching through conversation history, while other platforms like iMessage and Facebook Messages seem to severely lag behind. Fortunately, there are tips and tricks for conversation search in all three of these apps.
Facebook Messages
As mobile usage keeps climbing, Facebook continues to add features to its Messenger app before adding them to the website. However, search is one area in the app that still significantly lags behind the Facebook desktop website. As of now, you cannot search for specific messages in a conversation in the Messenger app. The only function the search bar serves is for finding names of Facebook friends you already messaged.
This is where Facebook’s website remains one step ahead, as it has a powerful search feature buried in Messages. The easiest way to access it is by first clicking the Messages icon on the top right when logged in. Then click See All.
On the left, enter in your search query. At first Facebook just searches for people or conversation names. Underneath that, you can click Search Messages to initiate a search within messages for the word or phrase you entered. What’s great is that Facebook automatically organizes the results in reverse chronological order and searches across all of your archived messages with all of your friends, going past years in the past if necessary.
Additionally, if you click a result, you’re taken directly to that section of your conversation history. Clicking the right and left arrows also pages through the results.
iMessage
iMessage has always had search issues and an iOS or OS X update has yet to fix them. Yes,you can back up or search through conversations, but it’s no easy task and comes with limitations.
On iOS, you can reveal the search bar in the Messages app by pulling down or tapping the time at the top of the screen. Like Facebook, iMessage prioritizes searching for people’s names first rather than keywords in conversations. If it finds a keyword, it lists that conversation as a search result. Tapping it opens the conversation and highlights the most recent message your query was used in.
Note: Good luck trying to navigate the search results if you’re looking for other instances in the same conversation because the Messages app doesn’t allow that. It’s the same story in the Messages app for OS X as well. It just about renders search useless unless you only need to find something recent.
Flexibits, the creators of Fantastical, have a remedy by the name of Chatology. It’s a Mac app that does search the right way, rounding up your entire iMessage history and allowing you to search through conversation names or content. It goes back as far as the entire past year’s worth of messages and even cleverly organizes images and links separately as well. A purchase may require some pondering at its price of $19.99, but it definitely gets the job done.
WhatsApp is the only major contender in the messaging war that just about perfects the art of search, particularly when it comes to browsing through the archives. Power users ought to take note.
Everything you need for searching through WhatsApp conversations is built right in. Just pull down in the Chats view to reveal a search bar and type in what you’re looking for (Android users should find the search option somewhere in the top menu). WhatsApp highlights the word or phrase in the search results and includes multiple instances in the same conversation. It even searches through archived messages, too. Tapping a result goes directly to that portion of the conversation and highlights it, much like in iMessage.
An extra perk of using WhatsApp is that it’s cross-platform. If you’re looking for something specific in your conversation history and you message your friends on WhatsApp, there’s no need to worry about which messaging service to search through.
If you are unable to use WhatsApp and you are receiving the following message: “Your number ... is no longer allowed to use our service” this means that your WhatsApp account has been banned.
We ban accounts if we believe the account activity is in violation of WhatsApp Terms of Service. Please review WhatsApp Terms of Service to learn more about the appropriate uses of WhatsApp.
Be aware that the following actions are in violation of WhatsApp Terms of Service:
- Sending ads or any other form of commercial solicitation.
- Sending spam or unsolicited messages.
- Submitting content (in the status, profile pictures or messages) that is unlawful, obscene, threatening, harassing, hateful, racially or ethnically offensive or otherwise inappropriate.
- Being annoying to other users.
- Being a repeat infringer.
- Using an automated system or an unauthorized / unofficial client application to send messages through WhatsApp.
We may not issue a warning before banning your account. If you think your account was banned by mistake you can email us and we will look into your case.
72 hours after your account has been been banned, your friends will no longer be able to see you in their Favorites / Select contact lists.
Please note that WhatsApp reserves the right to refuse service for any reason without prior notice, at our sole discretion.
Why am I seeing the message “You’re temporarily banned from WhatsApp"?
If we suspect that your account activity constitutes an abuse of WhatsApp system, your account will be temporarily banned from using WhatsApp. You will receive a warning message in the app that contains the duration of this temporary ban.
During the temporary ban you will not be able to access any part of your WhatsApp account. You will be able to use your account again after the countdown timer runs out.
To receive more information about this temporary ban, tap on the “Learn more” option you see on screen.
Activity that can lead to this temporary ban includes:
- Sending too many messages to users who do not list you in their address books. Make sure that you ask all of your WhatsApp contacts to add your current number to their address books.
- Being blocked by too many people in a short period of time. Make sure you only communicate with people who want to receive messages from you.
- Creating too many groups that contain users who do not list you in their address books. Make sure that you ask all of your WhatsApp contacts to add your current number to their address books.
- Sending the same message to too many people. Use Broadcast Lists to send the same message to your contacts.
- You may have violated WhatsApp Terms of Service.
You need to send Whatsapp an email (support@whatsapp.com), tell them you had no idea about the third party app infringement. Include your name, location also your phone number in this format: + Country Code Phone Number and your device model.
