Deleting a text message on your iPhone only removes it from your immediate view – the message still exists on your phone’s memory until it is overwritten by new data. That means you have a window of opportunity to recover recently deleted messages before they are gone for good. Here are the top methods for retrieving deleted texts on an iPhone.
Check Recently Deleted Folder
When you delete a message thread on your iPhone, it gets stored in the Recently Deleted folder for up to 30 days. This provides a buffer period where you can easily find and restore deleted messages that you may have removed by accident.
To access the Recently Deleted folder and look for removed messages:
- Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
- Tap on the Edit button in the upper left corner of the screen.
- Scroll all the way down and tap on ‘Recently Deleted’.
You will now see threads for all your recently deleted messages. To recover a thread, simply tap on it and select ‘Recover’. The thread will be restored to your Messages inbox.
Restore from an iTunes or iCloud Backup
If a message has been deleted for over a month and is no longer in the Recently Deleted folder, your next option is to restore it from a backup.
There are two types of backups you can use for this:
- iTunes Backup – When you connect your iPhone to a computer, iTunes can back up its data locally on the machine.
- iCloud Backup – Your iPhone can also be configured to backup regularly to iCloud.
To recover deleted messages from a backup:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer if using an iTunes backup, or ensure you have a recent iCloud backup.
- Perform a restore of your device from the backup. This will wipe your iPhone and overwrite its data with the last backup.
- Once the restore completes, your deleted messages should be present again along with the rest of your data as it was at the time of the backup.
Using an iTunes Backup
Follow these steps if you want to use an iTunes backup to restore deleted messages:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using the USB cable.
- Open iTunes on the computer and select your device.
- Under Backups, right click on the latest backup file and choose Restore from Backup.
- Click through the prompts to confirm restoration of data from the backup.
Using an iCloud Backup
To restore from an iCloud backup instead:
- Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups on your iPhone.
- Tap on the name of your device. then choose Restore from Backup.
- Tap again to Confirm the restoration.
Your iPhone data including deleted messages will now be overwritten with the iCloud backup.
Use Third Party Software
If you no longer have access to a backup containing the deleted texts you need, your last resort is third party software or services designed to recover lost iPhone data.
Here are some top options:
| Software | How It Works |
|---|---|
| iMyFone D-Back | Recovers deleted messages directly from your iPhone without needing a backup. |
| Fonelab | Scans your iPhone to extract deleted texts that have not been overwritten. |
| EaseUS MobiSaver | Uses data scanning algorithms to find deleted and existing messages on your device. |
These tools use direct data recovery technology to locate lost text messages on your iPhone, even if you no longer have them in a backup. However, success depends on the messages not yet being overwritten by new data.
The basic process involves:
- Download and install the software on a computer.
- Connect your iPhone to the computer.
- Scan your device for recoverable data with the software.
- Preview and selectively restore any found deleted messages.
For the best chance of recovering deleted texts, use recovery software as soon as possible before the messages have a chance to be permanently overwritten.
Prevent Future Message Loss
Going forward, you can take steps to ensure you never permanently lose message threads again on your iPhone:
- Setup regular iCloud backups that can restore deleted data if needed.
- Avoid deleting message threads unless you are certain.
- Install a messaging app like WhatsApp that has built-in backup capabilities.
- Transfer important message threads to another device or storage medium.
- Enable iCloud to keep a copy of all your iMessages online.
While recovering deleted texts is possible with the right tools and techniques, prevention is always the best solution. Use the methods above to minimize the chances of losing important iPhone messages ever again.
Conclusion
Retrieving deleted messages on an iPhone is often achievable if you act quickly and use backups, recovery software, or cloud syncing to access messages that have been removed. Try the Recently Deleted folder, backups, and data recovery tools to get back lost texts before they are gone for good. With the right approach, you can recover and restore deleted messages on your iPhone even after an accidental or mistaken removal.