Whatsapp crashing and backups to Google Drive

Implode8401

Hey there, just installed the latest stable version and whatsapp crashes about a second after opening, but if i remove network access it doesn't crash, logs below

type: crash
osVersion: google/redfin/redfin:13/TQ3A.230705.001/2023072600:user/release-keys
package: com.whatsapp:231479007
process: com.whatsapp
processUptime: 3247 + 331 ms
installer: com.android.vending

java.lang.NullPointerException: 
	at X.000.A0V(:152)
	at X.2qr.A07(:448939)
	at X.2qr.A06(:448938)
	at X.2ZF.A00(:320596)
	at X.2nD.A06(:396063)
	at X.2bS.A00(:342914)
	at X.3CO.BLT(:520430)
	at X.0mm.handleMessage(:106896)
	at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:106)
	at android.os.Looper.loopOnce(Looper.java:201)
	at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:288)
	at android.os.HandlerThread.run(HandlerThread.java:67)

[deleted]

Implode8401 Have you disabled Native code debugging?

GrapheneLover

Did you download WhatsApp from the Google Play Store / Aurora Store or did you download the APK version from the WhatsApp website?

Implode8401

GrapheneLover

From the google play store this is the version i have

version 2.23.14.79

com.whatsapp
versionCode 231479007

targetSdk 33
minSdk 21

Installed: Jul 27, 2023; 6:22 PM

Titan_M2

[deleted] Whatsapp works with native code debugging disabled and also with exploit protection compatibility mode disabled.

Implode8401

[deleted]

Are you talking about the hardening settings?

[deleted]

Titan_M2 I just tried to make sure

[deleted]

Implode8401 You can find the option to enable Native code debugging in the Settings app -> Security

Implode8401

[deleted]

It was on, I tried turning it off, and whatsapp is still crashing, I have google services installed, but other then that I don't think there's anything none standard about my install

Titan_M2

Implode8401 Have you by chance accidentally installed the beta? If you can’t find a solution you could backup the data. Delete and reinstall the app and restore backup.

Implode8401

Titan_M2

Well looks like a good old uninstall reinstall did the trick!

Thanks for all the help!

treequell

Implode8401 That's good. I'll mark this as solved for now.

Implode8401

One other thing is that I don't seem to be able to backup my chats to google drive, it just takes me to a login screen, then if I try to log into my account it says I'm already logged in, which I am, but it doesn't let me select the account

treequell

Implode8401 To setup and restore WhatsApp backups with Google Drive, you need to:

Enable full contacts permission for both the WhatsApp and Google Play Services apps (Contact Scopes do not suffice, at the time of writing)
Enable Storage Scopes for the WhatsApp app (Storage scopes are sufficient instead of full media permission)

For more info about this, see: https://github.com/GrapheneOS/os-issue-tracker/issues/1122#issuecomment-1561085531

Once you've done that, you will be able to select your Google account to backup and restore your WhatsApp database.

If you don't want to do this, there is also the alternative method of doing manual backups of the Android/media/com.whatsapp folder.

Implode8401

treequell

Oh great thanks! I also found the workaround of used a different account you haven't logged into yet, then if you log in via the WhatsApp backup you can back up right from there

Titan_M2

treequell Enable full contacts permission for both the WhatsApp and Google Play Services apps (Contact Scopes do not suffice, at the time of writing)

Weird… I thought that from the point of view of apps, contacts scopes looked like having full contact permissions but the user has 0 contacts.

Does this mean that apps may be able to detect that contact scopes is in use and potentially prevent users from using the app unless they give real contact permission?

Bikutoru

treequell Thank you for the help, I'm new to GOS and this has helped me to be able to save my WhatsApp conversations since most people use this app.

treequell

Implode8401 Yes, you can do that to setup a backup on Google Drive. But you won't be able to restore from the backup on Google Drive, unless you give the permissions I outlined above.

treequell

Titan_M2 I'm not sure, but allow me to provide some more information which might give some clues.

I am not sure if you have WhatsApp installed: if you do it's a little easier to follow this.

Open the App info for WhatsApp > Permissions > 3 dots > All permissions. Under Contacts, you will notice the permission "find accounts on the device".

Therefore it seems the contacts permission on Android includes more than just your address book, which may explain why Contact Scopes are not sufficient.

It seems that this permission only gets properly granted, and allows Google Play Services to check the Google account on your device, if and only if both WhatsApp and Google Play Services have the contacts permission.

This set-up seems to be specific to the way that WhatsApp requests the accounts on the device, because I have used other apps which backup to Google Drive via a Google account on my device, and have not needed the full contacts permission, and nor has Google Play Services. Cryptomator is one such app that comes to mind.

Titan_M2

treequell Therefore it seems the contacts permission on Android includes more than just your address book

As I suspected, and according to https://stackoverflow.com/a/33125068, GET_ACCOUNTS was moved into the CONTACTS permission group. It kinda makes sense to treat accounts as contacts.