There are a few reasons why you may not be able to see a conversation with someone on Messenger:
You or the other person deleted the conversation
If you or the other person in the conversation deleted your chat history, it will disappear from both of your message threads. Deleted conversations can’t be recovered on Messenger.
The other person blocked you
If the other person blocked you on Messenger, the conversation will disappear from your message thread but will still be visible on their end. You won’t get any indication that you’ve been blocked, the messages will just seem to vanish.
Your account was hacked
If your Facebook account was hacked, the hacker may have deleted conversations before you regained access. This could make conversations mysteriously disappear. Make sure to use strong passwords and two-factor authentication to prevent hacking.
There’s a technical issue
In rare cases, a glitch with Messenger could cause conversations to not show up properly. Trying logging out and logging back in to see if that fixes it. Make sure you also have the latest version of the Messenger app installed.
Searching for the Conversation
If you can’t find a conversation that you know existed at one point, here are some things to try to potentially recover it:
Check the archived tab
Messenger lets you archive conversations to get them out of your main message list. The other person may have archived your chat, causing it to disappear from the inbox. Look in the Archived Chats tab to see if you can find it there.
Search for the person’s name
Use Messenger’s search bar to search for the name of the person you were talking to. This may reveal the hidden conversation.
Look on the desktop app
Open Messenger in a desktop browser and see if you can find the conversation there. Sometimes mobile apps can have issues that desktop views don’t.
Check your message filtering settings
Go into your Messenger settings and look at the message filtering options. Make sure you don’t have it set to filter out conversations from that particular person.
Restore from backup
If you recently switched phones, you may be able to restore missing conversations from a backup of your previous device.
Possible Reasons the Conversation Disappeared
If you still can’t recover the conversation through any of these methods, here are some potential explanations for why it may have disappeared entirely:
The other person deleted their account
If the person you were talking to deleted their Facebook account, it would remove the conversation from your Messenger as well. There is no way to recover it if they deleted their account.
You were talking to a business account that closed
Conversations with business accounts can disappear if that business closes down their Facebook page or Messenger communication channel. There is no way to get those back.
You reported the conversation
If you reported a conversation as spam or abusive, Facebook may have deleted the conversation after investigating. Don’t expect reported conversations to be recoverable.
One of you was under 13 years old
Facebook deletes conversations for child safety reasons if they discover a user is under 13. This applies even if both parties are under 13.
The conversation was very old
Facebook may sometimes purge old conversations after an undetermined period of inactivity. If it was an old chat you weren’t expecting to find, this may be why.
Preventing Disappearing Conversations
To make sure you don’t lose important conversations in Messenger going forward, here are some tips:
Back up your conversations
Use Messenger’s built-in conversation backup option to save chat history to Google Drive or iCloud. You can restore from backup if conversations vanish.
Take screenshots
Occasionally take screenshots of conversations you want to keep records of, in case they disappear later on. Store the screenshots somewhere secure like Google Photos.
Export the conversation
Use Messenger’s data export tool to download a copy of the conversation that you can store locally as a file. This preserves it even if it disappears from Messenger.
Avoid app crashes
Force quitting or crashing the Messenger app while in an active conversation can cause issues syncing conversation history to Facebook’s servers. This can result in lost conversations.
Update your app frequently
Make sure to keep your Messenger app up-to-date, as outdated versions may have bugs that lead to conversation loss issues. Install updates as soon as they become available.
When to Contact Messenger Support
If you’re still unable to recover a conversation through any method, it may be time to contact Messenger’s official support channels:
Report the issue in-app
In Messenger, go to your profile, open Settings, select Help & Support, pick Report a Problem, and follow the steps to report your missing chats.
Contact Facebook support
You can contact Facebook support by going to the Help Center and telling them you have a problem with Messenger conversations disappearing.
Post on Facebook Community forums
The official Facebook forums have support staff who may be able to help troubleshoot your Messenger issues and point you in the right direction.
Tweet @Messenger
The Messenger Twitter account sometimes assists people who tweet about issues like disappearing chats. Send them a tweet describing your problem.
Only contact Messenger support after thoroughly checking for the conversation yourself, as they likely won’t be able to restore deleted or intentionally removed conversations. But for technical issues, they may be able to provide assistance.
How to Prevent Conversations from Disappearing
Here are some general tips to avoid having Messenger conversations mysteriously disappear in the future:
Avoid deleting conversations
Don’t make a habit of proactively deleting previous conversations as clearing that history also removes it for the other person.
Be careful about blocking contacts
Blocking someone also deletes your shared conversation history – so only block if absolutely necessary.
Secure your Facebook account
Use strong passwords, avoid reusing passwords, and set up two-factor authentication to prevent your account from being hacked.
Frequently back up conversations
Back up your Messenger history to a cloud service or local file at least once a week to prevent losing data.
Don’t use third-party apps
Stick to the official Facebook Messenger apps and be cautious about linking third-party apps that request Messenger permissions.
Report issues early
If you notice conversations starting to disappear, report it to Messenger support immediately to improve chances of recovering data.
Avoid restrictions
Don’t use Messenger in ways that violate Facebook’s terms of service, as policy violations can result in conversations being removed.
Keep software updated
Always run the latest versions of Messenger and your operating system to minimize bugs that could potentially corrupt conversation history.
Recovering from Missing Conversation Data Loss
If you do lose Messenger conversation history that cannot be recovered, here are some tips for moving forward:
Search emails for records
Check your email inbox for any messages that may have been linked to the conversations, which may jog your memory.
Ask the other person to fill you in
Reach out to the other person involved and ask them to summarize important parts of the conversation that you are now missing.
Recreate important details
For any critical information like dates, times, or locations discussed in the chat, try your best to recreate or research the details again.
Adjust your practices
Going forward, take steps like frequent conversation backups to avoid losing Messenger history again.
Rely on other channels
Consider using more reliable channels like email or SMS for sensitive conversations that you want a record of.
Move forward
Accept that the old Messenger history is gone, and continue communicating with that person as needed to rebuild the conversational context.
Focus on stronger account security
Prioritize enhancements like two-factor authentication to prevent future potential account breaches that could compromise Messenger data.
Conclusion
Messenger conversations disappearing can be caused by a variety of factors, from intentional deletions to technical glitches. Try searching archived messages, across devices, and using data recovery options before contacting Messenger support. Enable conversation backups and fortify account security to minimize future data losses. With some diligence, you can maintain your Messenger message history even if some conversations do inevitably vanish.