Most of the messaging apps are “secure” hence save their data, downloads in locked space. They do allow one to save a particular image or file anywhere but it is a manual process not practical if I want to access all images I received in the last 5 years.
WhatsApp has been good for me in this regard because it saves them in a user accessible directory. But recently WhatsApp has made it impossible to use offline as backup because it refuses to read from it in a new phone. Only Google Drive backup is allowed.
Is there any other app which allows storage in a user accessible location?
I think you are talking on online messaging, but if not, Fossify messenger has the option to backup SMS.
Yes, this is about viable WhatsApp replacement for me and my friends.
Telegram.
Oh, I had forgotten about that one.
Viber does this by default for media but it also doesn’t support offline chat backups and I don’t know if it’s something you’d want to move to in general.
Viber is something which I have not tried recently but offline chat backups.
