How to retrieve deleted iMessages without backup (iCloud or iTunes)

Accidentally deleted iMessages and do not have a backup in iCloud or iTunes? Here you'll learn where do deleted iMessages go and how to recover iMessages without backup.

• Deleted iMessages can be recovered, even if you didn't back up your iPhone.
• You're able to get deleted iMessage back without backup by recovering from Recently Deleted, or checking for other devices sharing the same Apple ID.
• As deleted iMessages are not gone forever but not viewable, you can use a 3rd-party utility like iPhone Data Recovery to scan iPhone's memory and retrieve the lost iMessages without a backup or data loss.
• If you've backed up your data to iCloud, you can restore iMessages from iCloud.

It's possible and easy to recover deleted iMessage without them being backed up to either iTunes or iCloud.

Accidentally deleting iMessages can be frustrating, especially if you don't have an iCloud/ iTunes backup, or the backup does not contain your deleted iMessages. Or maybe you've lost iMessage conversations after iOS update or due to some software bugs and find that it's too late to back up. Whatever the case, you'll be wondering how to recover deleted iMessages without backup.

Luckily, there are ways to retrieve the deleted iMessages if there's no backup for your iPhone—and it's pretty simple. In this post, we'll explain where to find your disappeared or deleted iMessages, and walk you through the steps for recovering iMessages that were not backed up on iPhone to Messages inbox.

Table of Contents

• Can you recover deleted iMessages not backed up?
• Retrieve deleted iMessages without any backup via Recently Deleted
• Check deleted iMessages on other devices
• Recover deleted iMessages without backup via iPhone Data Recovery tool
• How to Restore iMessages from iCloud (no iCloud backup)

Can you recover deleted iMessages not backed up?

Since iOS 16, Apple facilitates the deleted iMessages recovery process. Thanks to the Recently Deleted album, you're able to easily get back iMessages without relying on any backup or any extra tool. Those iMessages you've deleted in the last 30 days can be retrieved.

Even when you delete an iMessage permanently, it doesn't immediately disappear from your iPhone in a way that makes it unrecoverable. Instead, the iMessage history may still exist in a recoverable state until it's overwritten by new data. This makes it possible to use a 3rd-party data recovery application to recover permanently deleted iMessages inside the device's storage, even though no iPhone backups were made in advanced.

Retrieve deleted iMessages without any backup via Recently Deleted

iOS 16 introduces a built-in temporary storage area named Recently Deleted for iMessages and text messages, making it easier to find and restore iMessages you deleted in the absence of a backup free. The thing is that the recently deleted iMessages can be retrieved for no more than 30 days, and once the countdown reaches zero, iOS 16 automatically wipes the iMessages from Recently Deleted.

How to see deleted iMessages and restore them with no backup needed

Here are the painless steps to recover recently deleted iMessages or conversations without a backup or a computer, as long as they're still in the 30-day period for the recovery.

Tip: This works for recovering deleted text messages on iPhone, too.

1. Open up Messages app on the iPhone.

2. Tap Edit at the upper-left corner of the conversation list. If you've enabled Filter Unknown Senders in Messages settings, you may see Filters button instead.

3. Choose Show Recently Deleted. Here, you can find the deleted iMessages and SMS messages, along with the information about phone numbers or contacts, number of text messages as well as the days left to restore them.

Note: Recently Deleted feature doesn't allow users to view the certain texts within the iMessage chat; you will have to restore the entire conversation.

4. You're ready to recover your deleted iMessages without iCloud or iTunes backup.

• To get back all deleted iMessages, tap Recover All at the bottom right of the screen.
• To get a few deleted iMessages back, tap the small circles next to the each iMessage you want back, then tap Recover button located in the bottom right corner. In the dialog that pops up, tap Recover [Number] Messages to confirm.

Your iMessages you erased should restore and reappear on your iPhone Messages app screen. [Related: How to sync music to iPhone without iTunes]

Check deleted iMessages on other devices

If you have multiple Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac) signed in with the same Apple ID and connected to Messages in iCloud, your iMessages may sync across your devices through iCloud, and when disappeared or deleted, they still exist on one of them. Here's how to check deleted iMessages without a backup archive:

• Make sure to log into another iOS device or Mac using the same Apple ID.
• Open Messages app.
• Find the iMessages that you've deleted or lost on your iPhone.
• If the iMessage you need back are there, copy it and paste it on a new message or note.

Recover deleted iMessages without backup via iPhone Data Recovery

What if forgot to backup your iMessages and mistakenly deleted the message? Perhaps you manually erase all iMessages from Recently Deleted, or the folder automatically removes the recently deleted iMessages after 30 days. Maybe there's no Recently Deleted folder in your Messages app due to older iOS version. Then, how can you recover your permanently deleted iMessages without the need for a backup?

There's hope, and iPhone Data Recovery can help you recover deleted or lost iMessages on iPhone when you don't have an available backup to restore the iMessage.

The software uses its powerful scan algorithm to access deleted iMessages potentially in the iPhone's memory, letting you view the recoverable iMessages that haven't been backed up and get them back in just a few clicks. You're able to recover your iMessages from accidental deletion, faulty iOS update, or other data loss scenario. Plus, the tool ships with Recover from iTunes backup mode that can extract iMessage data from the backup.

How to recover lost iMessages on iPhone without backup or data loss

1. First run the iPhone Data Recovery application on your computer (Windows & MacOS.)

2. Select Recover from iOS Device to start, as you have no iCloud/ iTunes backup of your iPhone for restoring the deleted iMessage conversations.

3. Connect your iPhone to the computer via a lightning cable.

4. Click Start Scan button (see image above) to let the program takes it time to look for deleted iMessages and other files like messages, photos, contacts, notes, call logs, etc.

5. Click on "Messages" and you should see your old deleted iMessages listed on the window. The contact's name, texts, photos, attachments are visible.

6. Once you've found the missing iMessage threads you wish to get back, click the small box next to them, choose the Recover button in the bottom right corner.

In the dialog that opens, select the directory where you want the retrieved iMessage to be saved on your computer. Ideally, you should use a path that is easy to access.

Also see: What to do when iPhone says unavailable

How to restore iMessages from iCloud (no iCloud backup)

Chances are that you have Messages in iCloud syncing feature activated and your backup won't include or restore your iMessages. So if your iMessages disappeared or got deleted, try to retrieve them from iCloud Messages. The process does not involve your iCloud backup.

• On iPhone Settings app, tap [your name] at the top.
• Tap iCloud.
• Tap Show All under APPS USING ICLOUD.
• Choose Messages in iCloud.
• Turn off Use on this iPhone if it's turned on.
• Select Disable and Download Messages when a notification pops up.
• Wait for a few seconds and toggle on the Use on this iPhone switch to download iMessages from iCloud to the iPhone.

When done, you could see iMessages on iCloud return to the main inbox.