> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.amit.is-a.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Frequently Asked Questions ## General * **Is this really free?**\ Yes. Render, Firebase, and UptimeRobot all have generous free tiers that are sufficient for personal use. You will typically never pay anything. * **Is my data safe?**\ Absolutely. The entire system is self-hosted. You own the database (Firebase) and the server (Render). The developers of this tool have zero access to your data. * **Does the developer see my chats?**\ No. The code connects directly from your Render server to your Firebase database using your personal API keys. There is no middleman server. * **Is this legal?**\ The tool uses standard WhatsApp Web protocols to function as a linked device. It is intended for personal archiving of your own conversations. ## Features & Limitations * **Does it save photos/videos?**\ No. To keep the project free (Firebase offers limited storage), the logger only saves text content. Media files would fill up your free tier storage very quickly. * **Does it save View Once messages?**\ No. WhatsApp does not send the content of "View Once" media to linked devices/web clients, so the logger cannot see them. * **Does it save WhatsApp Status?**\ No, it cannot save WhatsApp statuses at this time. If you would like to add this feature to this project, please submit a pull request by uploading the updated code to [Github](https://github.com/notamitgamer/WhatsApp-Logger-Self-Hosted-/pulls). * **Can I reply from the dashboard?**\ No. This tool is designed strictly as a read-only archive to ensure maximum safety and simplicity. * **Does it work with Group Chats?**\ Yes! It automatically archives messages from any group you are part of, including messages sent by other participants. * **Can I export my chats?**\ Yes. Inside any chat on the dashboard, open the menu (three dots) and select "Download" to get a `.txt` file of the conversation. ## Technical Setup * **What is Render?**\ Render is a cloud hosting platform. It provides the computer (server) that runs your logger 24/7 so your phone doesn't have to. * **What is Firebase?**\ Firebase is Google's database service. While Render processes the messages, Firebase acts as the permanent hard drive where logs are stored. * **Do I need my phone on 24/7?**\ No. Once you scan the QR code, the logger works independently via WhatsApp's Multi-Device feature. Your phone does not need to stay online continuously after linking. * **What if Render sleeps?**\ If the server sleeps, you will miss messages sent during that time. This is why setting up UptimeRobot (Step 5) is critical—it keeps the server awake. * **How do I update the logger?**\ In your Render dashboard, go to your service and click "Manual Deploy" -> "Deploy latest commit" to pull the newest code from GitHub. * **Can I host this on a Raspberry Pi?**\ Yes. The backend is standard Node.js. You can clone the repo and run `npm install && npm start`. You still need Firebase for the database. * **How much storage do I have?**\ The Firebase Free Tier (Spark Plan) gives you 1 GiB of storage. Since we only store text, this is enough for millions of messages. ## Troubleshooting * **Why is the QR code not loading?**\ Your Render server might be starting up or deploying. Wait 30 seconds and refresh the page. Check Render logs if the issue persists. * **Why does it say "No chats found"?**\ The logger starts empty. It only records messages that arrive *after* you have linked it. Send a message to your phone to see it appear. **I forgot my App PIN/Password**\ On the lock screen, click "Forgot PIN". You can reset your local security using the server credentials (`AUTH_USER` and `AUTH_PASS`) you set in Render.

Copyright © 2025–2026 Amit Dutta

This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.