wa-crypt-tools is an open-source Python-based suite of utilities for working with WhatsApp encrypted backup files (like .crypt12, .crypt14 and .crypt15), particularly to decrypt and encrypt them when you have the proper key.

What it does

wa-crypt-tools helps you manage WhatsApp backup encryption formats used by WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business:

• Decrypt WhatsApp backups (.crypt12, .crypt14, .crypt15) into readable SQLite database files (if you have the correct key file or 64-character key).
• Encrypt decrypted files back into WhatsApp crypt formats (in beta).
• Inspect backup metadata (e.g., with a tool like wainfo).

Key tools in the suite

When you install wa-crypt-tools, it gives you these main command-line tools:

• wacreatekey – Create a usable key file from WhatsApp.
• wadecrypt – Decrypt encrypted WhatsApp databases.
• waencrypt – Encrypt decrypted databases into .crypt files (beta).
• waguess – Try to guess some key information (limited use).
• wainfo – Show information about an encrypted backup.

How it’s installed

You can install it via Python’s package manager:

python -m pip install wa-crypt-tools

Or directly from its GitHub repo for the latest version.

Important requirements

• You must have the correct WhatsApp encryption key (either the key file or the 64-character hex key) to decrypt backups — without this, decryption isn’t possible.
• The decrypted result is typically a SQLite database (msgstore.db) that you can then view or analyze with SQLite tools.

Use cases

• Forensics or data recovery: Recover your own WhatsApp messages for analysis.
• Backup exploration: Convert encrypted backups to readable form for archival or inspection.
• Automation in scripts or utilities: Integrate WhatsApp backup decryption into workflows.

Note: Using tools like this on backups that aren’t yours or without permission may be unethical or illegal. Respect privacy and legal boundaries when working with encrypted data.