Goal is for one Placeholder for Current Up to Date fix for those UNABLE to restore Whastapp to a new phone with Larger File Sizes. Whastapp does not seem to respond and the old options do not work.
So for those on an S22 / Android 12+ I have the up to date current solution after a few days and endless backup and restores and then proceeding to be locked out.
Set Display timer to 10 minutes and do not let your screen go blank.
Follow Exactly: 2 Options one for those media files and wanted to keep the dates and one for those that done care.
Part 1

1. Backup your Whatsapp folder into a .Rar / Zip File. If you have a phone with An SD card just send this copy to your SD Card. Then plug that SD card into your computer Rar the file.- Ensure when "Rar'ing" you set to Store Creation / Access time
2. NO SD CARD: Upload to Google Drive (it should keep the dates as what you have.- Download the file to your computer or sync your computer to Google Drive and download as a Rar.

Part 2. ONLY IF DATES ARE WRONG (Otherwise go to Part 3 )

1. If dates are wrong you can follow my thread here:https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...le-preserving-the-dates.3423480/post-86587561

- If you backed up your Whatsapp Folder over time you can use https://www.scootersoftware.com/ Beyond Compare to VERY easily transfer the dates from your old to the new so your Whatsapp on your new phone doesnt just change all of the dates to todays.
Part 3. PREPARE TRANSFER

1. On your new phone Make sure you have the apps:A. RAR LabsB. MiXPlorer or Solid Explorer or any file viewerC. Backup of Whatsapp downloaded
2. Install Rar
3. Download Whatsapp
4. Open 1 time then Force Close Program
5. Open File Explorer (see Above MIX/Solid, etc)

Part 4 VERIFY Directories Created / Made

1. android> Media Folder
2. Created folder Labeled"com.whatsapp"
   1. Sub Folder"WhatsaApp

Part 5. Extract Previous backup into New Folder

1. Open Rar File of Whatsap that you created
2. Extract Everything in the folder into:
   1. Internal Storage/Android/media/com.whatsapp/Whatsapp
   2. Copy the files ("msgstore.db.crypt14", "msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt14"...)
      1. Change the date of the backup you want to use to msgstore.db.crypt14 (If the number is different change it to what you have currently)
3. When done Extracting change main Folder from
   1. com.whatsapp to com.whastappOLD
   2. Create new folder com.whatsapp
   3. Copy all folders inside com.whatsappOLD to new folder
      1. The reason for this is that if you delete or make an error during this process you lose all of the data so were saving you time in case you make an error and have to start gain. I had to do this 4x to get it right

Part 6 Installation

1. Delete / Remove all Google accounts and Contacts folder
2. Put new Sim Card into your new phone
3. Open Whatsapp and verify your phone numer (you have to use the same number as on your old smartphone)
4. Once Verified Put your phone into Airplane Mode
   1. If next part does not work for immediate backup: When it asked you to grant access to your files for Google drive, ignore the message and instead close the app (press □ and wipe Whatsapp away)
5. If asked for access to files / Google Drive say Yes
6. When asked to give access to contacts say NO
7. When asked to have access to files say YES
8. You should then see Local Backup found. If your file is LARGE you need to WAIT until it shows the file size (mine took 25 minutes). Just ensure your phone is set to a long display timer

Part 7 BACK UP Restore Options (still in Airplane Mode FYI)
A. If you see a restore button:

1. When you FINALLY SEE the display size (should be large and have the restore date) of your backup click Restore
2. Once it begins Disable Airplane Mode
3. Ignore the message regarding Google Drive and, when your backup has been restored (look at the progress bar at the bottom in the background). It should say complete / 100% and provide you a button for next
4. Whatsapp will say Initializing. Give it a few minutes.
5. If stalled close the app
6. Open Whatsapp again and you should see now your old and new messages alltogether!

B. If No Restore Button:

1. If no restore button shows and you have Verfiy by Code (sms/Telephon)
2. Close App
3. Re-open app
4. Turn on Airplane Mode
5. When asked for Google Drive option to view contacts / folders/ file system (all in one question). Click Yes
6. When asked SEPARATELY for Contact Permission: Say NO <---- VERY IMPORTANT
   1. you should have no contacts though so it should not ask,
7. Storage Permission: CLICK YES
8. If there is no restore option you, You should now see your local backup, press "restore backup" when it SHOWS THE FULL FIlE SIZE NOT BEFORE.

Disable airplane mode and activate Wifi / mobile internet. 9. Ignore the message regarding Google Drive and, when your backup has been restored (look at the progress bar at the bottom in the background), close the app
Open Whatsapp again and you should see now your old and new messages alltogether!
C. If neither work above for you

1. Disable airplane mode and activate Wifi / mobile internet.
2. You will see your local storage behind the popup saying allow google drive.
3. Wait until it shows the full flile Size
4. You will need to press add account and have your fingers ready for instant tapping between add account and instant tapping restore button
5. For some it has been 10-30 times doing this practice, you will luckily hit restore button
6. When progress bar says 100% it is restored.
7. You will still see app asking google drive option, don't click skip (this will reset the app ,leading to nothing restored)
8. When the app is asking to restore from google drive AND YOU HAVE HIT 100%, close the app right away (very important)
9. Open the app, and the app will ask you to set name, set your name
10. Initializing may take awhile. If it over 5-10 min ensure that airplane mode is off. Otherwise close app and try again.

If nothing works. Uninstall Whatsapp. Make the folders manually, keep only 1 data base file in the Database directory and transfer the internal structure of com.whatsappOLD into the new directory.
It is important to have NO GOOGLE accounts nor Contact files. You can add these after.
Key thing is to let it Compute the size of the folder. If it cannot compute, it does not work. From there turn on the internet and click retry.
Shout out to Merlin Behling
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/67735037/whatsapp-cannot-detect-local-backup-
and Rahil2009

XDA for those moving pics to a new phone:https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/...erving-the-dates.3423480/page-3#post-86588833
My updated method as of 3-24-2022 has worked on over 30 phones for those that had issues. I will try to respond when I can but I need to stress this works on the latest S22 Ultra. I even spent more time looking at years of whatsap backups and using Beyond Compare 4 was able to get all of my photos and files updated on my new phone. If you have old photos with wrong dates I highly recommend that program