Is something preventing WhatsApp from downloading messages? If you get the following familiar message, then read on: “Messages are retrieved. This may take some time“. We explain what causes this and how you can fix this problem in WhatsApp.
Which does ______________ mean “Messages are retrieved. This may take some time“ in WhatsApp?
The message “Getting messages. This may take some time” appears for a very simple reason: WhatsApp was unable to decrypt the content of the message. You should know that this messaging platform uses end-to-end encryption that protects messages from sending to receiving. The entire time a text, image or video is transmitted through the network, the content remains encrypted and nobody can see it. The recipient’s cell phone is in charge of the decryption, thanks to the key set at both points. If this process fails, WhatsApp will not be able to read the message and the above error will appear.
There are several reasons why WhatsApp is unable to resolve the encryption of a message. Some of the most common reasons are the following:
- The sender has not been connected to the internet for some time. Most of the time, the error occurs with messages that were sent a long time ago.
- You reinstalled WhatsApp on another device. Maybe the encryption key doesn’t match when you run the app on a new phone..
- Problems with WhatsApp cross-device mode. This allows you to use the service even if your mobile phone is not connected to the network or switched off. This sometimes causes such encryption errors.
- WhatsApp beta bug. Pre-releases contain bugs that sometimes lead to errors like the one discussed here.
How to fix this error on your phone
After telling you the reasons for this message on WhatsApp, we explain to you that what to do about this problem. Below are some solutions.
Be patient
Usually this error will disappear automatically. Since this is an encryption issue, WhatsApp usually resolves it on its own. So before you get worked up about the best way to get rid of the message, it’s best to wait patiently for it to go away on its own after a few minutes. if WhatsApp finally successfully completed the decryption process, the content reappears on your phone. But what if not? Read on..
Update WhatsApp to the latest version
At Malavida, we always recommend that you should keep your apps up to date. If you’re using an old version of the app, you may encounter errors like the one discussed here. How to update WhatsApp? Actually, it’s not difficult at all:
- Open the Google Play Store on Android.
- Click on your user avatar in the top right corner.
- On Android, you switch to Manage apps and device.
- From the Play Store, tap the section Available updates. Then check if WhatsApp appears.
- If yes, tap To updateto get the latest version.
Not understood? No problem. Here is the step-by-step guide on how to update WhatsApp for Android.
Sign out of WhatsApp Web and reconnect your account
The message “Messages are retrieved. This may take some time‘ may appear on WhatsApp Web or WhatsApp Desktop, but not on mobile. The best thing to do in this situation is to log out of your computer and reconnect your account. This will force the WhatsApp client to reload all messages and decrypt them again.
Just open the three dots menu and tap Sign out. Then scan the QR code that appears on the screen in the section Linked Devices is shown. If you’re not sure how to go about this process, check out this guide where we explain the best WhatsApp Web tips and tricks.
Ask the contact to open WhatsApp again
Sometimes the reason why WhatsApp cannot decrypt a message is because the contact has not opened the app for a long time. Can you ask the contact to do this? If yes, this could be the final solution for that “Retrieving Messages”-Error in WhatsApp.
Request forwarding of messages
Continuing with the previous section, there’s another way to get the messages you’re waiting for: the forwarding. Of course, you must ask the person you originally received the content from. If you resend, a new message will be created, which WhatsApp will likely decrypt immediately.
Reinstall the application
If you’ve read this far, it’s because you couldn’t recover your messages and none of the offered solutions were successful. The best thing you can do in this case is to back up your messages to the cloud and Reinstall WhatsApp. During setup and sign-up, retrieve the backup and verify that the messages you were waiting for downloaded successfully.