How to see and recover deleted messages on iPhone
Deleting important messages unexpectedly can result in serious consequences. In this article, we are trying to help you remedy the loss as much as we can.
William Davis Updated on Jul 31, 2023 3:50 PM
Have you ever deleted messages on iPhone by accident and haven't had an idea how to recover deleted messages? Most of us has such a similar experience: accidentally delete some important messages that we want to keep forever. It often happens when you are freeing up your iPhone storage space. In general, you don't realize it immediately. It is not until you need the message in some special occasions and you can't find it that you realize it has been deleted on your iPhone. And you will be like: " OMG! How can I recover deleted messages?"
Be that as it may, you don't need to be too concerned with deleting messages by mistake. As most of users encountered it, Apple had put forward some practical methods for iPhone users to get deleted messages back. Now, let's explore together!
How to See Deleted Messages on iPhone?
Only if you can see what messages have been deleted on iPhone, can you decide and choose what you are going to recover. If you have already updated your iOS system to iOS 16 or later version, you are able to see deleted messages within 30 to 40 days. Here are steps for you to see deleted messages on iPhone:
Step 1: Open Messages on iPhone.
Step 2: Tap Edit or Filters in the top-left corner on the screen.
If you turned Messages Filtering on in advance, Filters button, instead of Edit button, is shown in the top-left corner.
Step 3: Tap Show Recently Deleted.
Then all messages and conversations that you deleted up to 30 to 40 days will be shown on your iPhone.
How to Recover Deleted Messages on iPhone?
Now that you are disposed to see deleted messages, you can recover important deleted messages that you want to store forever now. We provide you with four practical and efficient methods of recovering deleted messages. Here we go!
1. Recover Deleted Messages on Messages.
It is the most practical and simplest method of recovering messages. You just need to continue to operate it after seeing deleted messages on Messages: choose the deleted conversations with messages that you intend to restore and tap Recover, and you will get deleted messages back.
2. Recover Deleted Messages with iCloud.
The first method only fits for an iPhone with iOS 16 or later version system, and it is capable of recovering deleted messages within 30 to 40 days at most. What if your iPhone hadn't been updated to iOS 16 or later version before the messages were deleted? What if the deleted messages you want to recover had been deleted half a year ago?
In that case, recovering deleted messages with iCloud on iPhone is more efficient than the first option, as iCloud can back up all messages on iPhone since the moment you turned it on. Steps for recovering deleted messages with iCloud:
Step 1: Go to Settings on iPhone.
Step 2: Tap [Your Name] > iCloud.
Step 3: Switch off Messages on Apps Using iCloud.
Step 4: Tap Disable and Download Messages.
Step 5: Open Messages, and you will see all backup messages on your iPhone, including those deleted messages.
3. Try iTunes or Finder to Recover Deleted Messages.
Instead of recovering deleted messages with iCloud, you can recover them with iTunes on Windows or Finder on Mac, if you have previously backed up your iPhone onto a Mac or PC.
If you are about to recover messages on iTunes, you ought to connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes > File in the top-left corner > Device > [Your iPhone's Name] > Restore Backup.
If you intend to recover deleted messages on Finder, you need to connect your iPhone to your computer and open Finder > [Your Phone's Name] > Restore Backup.
By doing so, you can restore messages that you have backed up on your iPhone.
4. Ask iPhone Carrier for Help.
If none of these above methods is useful for you to recover deleted message, perhaps you can try to ask your iPhone carrier for help now. Service providers occasionally keep text messages or calls on iPhone as a record.
There are two ways for you to ask whether you can recover your deleted messages on your iPhone or not. One is logging in to your account and check it online, the other is to use the service provider's customer service line. Although it is not 100% sure that you can recover deleted messages by asking your iPhone carrier for help, it is still worth trying!
Conclusion
Reasons for recovering deleted messages can be extremely various. Perhaps it's because you are accustomed to keeping messages as memories. Or supposed you are in trouble and some of the deleted messages can serve as evidence and help you get out of troubles. No matter what is your true purpose of recovering deleted messages, we sincerely hope the above methods can do you a favor! It would be appreciated if you like this article and share it with others!
