Might come in handy

In recent days, Roskomnadzor announced the start of a full block of WhatsApp's operation in Russia (voice communications were blocked earlier). The full block will be implemented in stages so that users can transfer their data and switch to other messengers. 

Yesterday they began. Disruptions in messaging were observed already by the evening. Further steps – in the coming days.

Well, as you understand, the overwhelming majority of users didn't even hear the announcement. That's how our mass consciousness works.

Yesterday evening and today, while informing clients and acquaintances about Roskomnadzor's notice, I hear groans: "All my life is there! It's a disaster!"

Boss, everything's lost, everything's lost! The plaster is being removed, the client is leaving!

Indeed, over the past 5-7 years I've seen that for some people WhatsApp has replaced memory, holding addresses, contracts, invoices, calculations, etc. 

It has become commonplace that during negotiations no one can recall previous agreements. High-level negotiating parties flip through their "WhatsApp" chats and present them to counterparties.

Besides the automatic backup of this messenger's data to cloud storage, to save the lives of millions ChatGPT recommends:

Question: how to save all chats at once together with attachments from my WhatsApp account to a flash drive or other storage?

ChatGPT said:

Here is a simple and reliable way to save ALL WhatsApp chats (including attachments) to a flash drive or other external media. The method depends on the device:

📱 If you have Android

✅ Method 1: Save a WhatsApp backup and transfer it to a flash drive

This saves all chats at once.

Steps:

Open WhatsApp → Settings → Chats → Chat backup.

Select: Backup to Google Drive → Never

(so it creates a local copy instead of a cloud one)

Tap Create backup.

WhatsApp will create backup files on the phone in the folder:

/WhatsApp/Databases/

/WhatsApp/Media/

Connect the phone to a computer or insert an OTG flash drive. Copy the entire WhatsApp folder to the flash drive. Inside it will be: msgstore-*.db.crypt14 — message database

Media folder — all photos, videos, documents, voice messages

Settings files

📌 This will fully preserve all chats + all attachments, and they can be restored on a new device.

✅ Method 2: Directly from the file manager

Open the Explorer / Files on the phone. Locate the WhatsApp folder. Copy this folder to a flash drive or memory card.

🍏 If you have iPhone

Apple does not allow direct copying of app data to a flash drive, but there are two workable methods:

✅ Method 1: iPhone backup via computer

This saves EVERYTHING, including WhatsApp.

On Windows:

Install iTunes.

Connect the iPhone.

In iTunes click:

Device → Summary → Back Up Now

Enable Encrypt backup (otherwise WhatsApp won't be fully saved). After the backup finishes, save the backup file from the folder:

C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\MobileSync\Backup\

Copy this folder to a flash drive.

✅ Method 2: Use programs to export WhatsApp

Suitable: iMazing, Dr.Fone, Mobitrix, Tenorshare iCareFone

These programs allow you to export all WhatsApp chats and attachments and save them:

as PDF, HTML, ZIP

to a flash drive

to a computer

💡 What if you need to save each chat separately?

WhatsApp has a Export Chat feature: Settings → Chats → Export Chat

You can choose:

with media

without media

But it has to be done for each chat manually.

So go ahead, if anyone

Roskomnadzor reported that it is progressively introducing restrictive measures against the foreign messenger due to violations of Russian legislation.

If the requirements of Russian legislation continue to be unmet, the service will be completely blocked in Russia. Roskomnadzor advised users to switch to national services.

*belongs to Meta, a company banned in the Russian Federation

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