Messages deleted on Facebook often cannot be recovered on iPhone. However, if certain steps are taken quickly, there is still a chance of finding deleted messages on an iPhone.
Can you recover deleted Facebook messages on iPhone?
In most cases, once a Facebook message is deleted, it is gone for good. The message is removed from Facebook’s servers and can no longer be retrieved through the Facebook app or website. However, if the iPhone user had message previews enabled in the notifications settings, a preview of the deleted message may still be available in the notifications history on the device.
Facebook does not provide a built-in feature to recover deleted messages. So if the message preview was not saved in notifications, there is no official way to retrieve deleted Facebook messages through the app itself. Any recovery method would require using third-party software or digging into temporary files stored on the device.
Checking notification history on iPhone
If message previews were enabled, the easiest way to find a deleted Facebook message on iPhone is to check the notifications history. To do this:
- Open the Settings app
- Select Notifications
- Scroll down and select Facebook
- Make sure Show Previews is switched on
- Back out to the main Notifications screen
- Select History near the top
- Browse the list of notifications for the deleted message preview
If Show Previews was already enabled for Facebook notifications, then the message preview may still be buried in the history. The notifications history goes back several days or weeks depending on usage. This method can recover a deleted Facebook message as long as the preview was saved before it was removed from the app. However, it only retrieves the preview, not the full message content.
Using data recovery software
If the deleted Facebook message cannot be found in the notifications, the next option is to use iPhone data recovery software. Advanced third-party tools like iMyFone D-Back or EaseUS MobiSaver can scan the iPhone storage for residual data left behind by deleted files and messages. They may be able to dig up the full content of a Facebook message even after it was erased from the app.
To try recovering deleted Facebook messages with data recovery software:
- Download and install the software on a computer
- Connect the iPhone to the computer
- Grant the software access to the iPhone data when prompted
- Scan the iPhone for recoverable data
- Preview and select the Facebook messages to recover
- Save the messages to the computer
This gives the software direct access to the iPhone filesystem, allowing it to pull residual data from places the Facebook app cannot access. Scanning and analysis may take some time depending on the storage size. There is still no guarantee a deleted message can be recovered, but professional data recovery tools offer the best chance.
Checking cached data manually
An alternative to paid recovery software is to manually look for cached Facebook data stored on the iPhone. When the Facebook app is used, some temporary data gets saved in the device storage outside of the app’s sandbox. It takes some digging around, but this cached data might contain fragments of deleted messages.
To manually find Facebook cached data, you will need a computer and a lightning cable to connect the iPhone. Then follow these steps:
- On the computer, open iTunes and connect the iPhone
- In iTunes, create a full encrypted backup of the iPhone to the computer
- Browse to the backup files location and copy the folder to the desktop
- Get free iPhone backup extraction software like iBackup Extractor
- Use the software to open the backup folder from iTunes
- Navigate to AppDomain > com.facebook.Facebook > Library > Caches
- Search the files and databases in this folder for message fragments
This process lets you manually access the iPhone backup and dig into the Facebook app’s cached data outside its sandbox. It takes some know-how, but you might find portions of a deleted message by sifting through the cached files.
Asking the sender to resend the message
If all else fails, the only option left is to ask the sender to resend the deleted Facebook message. Of course, this assumes you know who sent it. And there is no guarantee they will still have the message or be willing to send it again.
But for deleted messages that are important or sentimental, it may be worth politely asking the sender if they can find the original message and forward it to you again. Make it clear why the message is important and that you are not just being invasive. With any luck, the sender still has access to the message and will help you out by sending it again.
Enabling chat backups
To avoid this situation going forward, iPhone users should enable full chat backups in Facebook’s settings. Here’s how to turn it on:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the hamburger menu
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings
- Tap Chat and Calls
- Enable Chat Backups to Network
With chat backups enabled, Facebook will periodically save copies of your messages on their servers, even if you delete the conversations from your device. You can then restore any lost messages by tapping “Recover Messages” in the Chat and Calls settings. Enabling backups prevents permanently losing messages again.
Third-party apps to backup Facebook messages
Another option is using a third-party app to regularly back up your Facebook messages outside of Facebook’s own backup system. Some apps like iMyFone iBackup Extractor can automatically extract and save your iOS chat history. Other apps like FonePaw iOS Data Backup & Restore create full device backups saved offline. With regular backups enabled, you will always have message archives to restore.
Conclusion
Recovering deleted Facebook messages on iPhone is difficult and unlikely in most cases. The only reliable methods are checking the notifications history immediately after deletion or asking the sender to resend the message. To prevent this issue in the future, enable full chat backups in Facebook’s settings or use a third-party backup tool. With proper backups in place, mistakenly deleted messages can easily be restored.