13 Fixes! Why Do Text Messages Disappear Android/iPhone

Today, we use mobile devices for communication to make calls, send and receive text messages, chats, manage contacts and apps, files, and a lot more. There are times though that your text messages suddenly get lost or deleted for some reason. Why do my text messages disappear on Android/iPhone device?

In this article, we discuss the causes and solutions to help you resolve the issue. A more convenient approach is also tacked in this guide to help you restore lost text messages using a data recovery tool.

Before We Restore Text Messages Back:

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If you don't feel like the help of other applications, we have collected some useful solutions below for you to have a try.

Part 1. Why Do My Text Messages Disappear on AndroidPart 2. How to Restore Lost Text Messages Using Android Data RecoveryPart 3. Video Guide: Fix Text Messages Disappear on AndroidPart 4. How to Fix Issue: Why Do My Text Messages Disappear on Android (12 Solutions)Part 5. How to Back up Your Text Messages Stored on AndroidPart 6. Why Messages Disappeared and How to Fix? (iPhone)Part 7. In Summary

Part 1. Why Do My Text Messages Disappear on Android

Why do my text messages disappear on Android? There a number of reasons that may cause the issue. It can be an accidental deletion or loss, recent app updates that affect your text messages, date and time setting in your phone is not updated, Android system or app version that needs an update, and many others. In the proceeding, the section is the various methods that you can do to help fix the issue, including recovering deleted files from Android.

Part 2. How to Restore Lost Text Messages Using Android Data Recovery

When your text messages suddenly disappear, you can utilize a simple and reliable tool called FoneDog Android Data Recovery. This is a better and safer approach that allows you to retrieve lost or deleted text messages, contacts, call logs, chats, and other types of data from your Android devices. It enables you to scan your device and preview each file result. You can also do a deep scan to return more content. The tool is available in a free trial version for Mac and Windows PC.

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Step 01. Launch the FoneDog Android Data Recovery Tool

After you have downloaded and installed the FoneDog Android Data Recovery tool, launch the app by going to the desktop shortcut icon, the pinned icon on the taskbar, or via the Start menu. Next, plug in your Android device to your PC with a USB cable.

Step 02. Allow USB Debugging on Android Device

Next, allow USB Debugging mode for your Android device when recognized by the PC. If it does not show up, unplug your Android device or the USB cable and plug it in again.

Step 03. Scan and Preview the Messages

Select the File Types that you want to scan from your Android device such as Messages and then click the Next button. You can also do a deep scan and preview each file result after the scan to see its contents.

Step 04. Restore the Lost Messages

After the scan, select the specific files that you want to recover to your Android device. When done, click on the Recover button. Wait until the recovery process is completed and prevent any interruptions during the process.

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Part 3. Video Guide: Fix Text Messages Disappear on Android

Part 4. How to Fix Issue: Why Do My Text Messages Disappear on Android (12 Solutions)

This section provides various methods that will aid you in how to fix the issue on why do my text messages disappear on Android device.

1. Clear the Cache in the Messages App

• Step 01: On your Android device, tap on Settings.
• Step 02: Select Apps.
• Step 03: Find the Messages
• Step 04: Tap on Clear cache or Storage > Clear cache.
• On other versions, tap Clear data > Clear cache.
• Step 05: The cache in the Messagesapp has been cleared. Go to the Messages app and check again if the text messages now appear.

2. Run the Device in Safe Mode

Isolate the problem with the use of safe mode because your Android device will not run the other apps and processes when in safe mode.

How to reboot your Android device:

• Step 01: Unlock your Android device by pressing the Power button.
• Step 02: Press and hold the Power button until a menu appears.
• Step 03: Tap on the Restart Wait until your Android device is done with the reboot.

On other versions, you can reboot your Android device to safe mode by:

• Step 01: Unlock your Android device by pressing the Power button.
• Step 02: Press and hold the Power button for a few seconds until the device restarts.
• Step 03: Tap and hold the Power.
• Step 04: A prompt will appear to reboot to safe mode.
• Step 05: Tap OK.
• Step 06: Wait until the Android device boots up. Safe mode will be displayed on the bottom left corner of the screen.

3. Verify Date and Time

Apps may not load properly because of an incorrect date and time or a difference in time set on your mobile device. Go to your device settings and update the date and time setting it to automatic time update. Launch again the Messages app and check if the messages now appear.

4. Verify the Message Settings

You can also check the settings of your Messages app. In some settings, when the limits are reached, the messages that are old are automatically removed.

• Step 01: Launch the Messages app
• Step 02: Tap on the three dots menu located on the upper right of the screen.
• Step 03: Tap on Settings.
• Step 04: Tap on General.
• Step 05: Select Storage Settings.
• Step 06: Tick the Delete Old Messages
• Step 07: Do not set any limit in the Text Message Limit and Multimedia Message Limit

5. Wipe Cache Partition

This process will only clear the temporary data cache and junk files from your device in order to free up some space and memory.

• Step 01: Unlock your Android device by tapping on the screen.
• Step 02: Shut down your Android device. Press the Power key for a few seconds until the device turns off.
• Step 03: Boot your Android device to recovery mode. You can visit the official manufacturer website of your Android device on the key combination to press.

Press simultaneously the Power, Volume up and Volume down keys or combination of Power, Volume up keys, and Home button of your Android device until it boots to the recovery mode.

• Step 04: After, a menu will appear to show the options that you have to select. Press the Volume key to navigate the options (or a different key which differs on your Android device).
• Step 05: Press the Power key to select the Wipe cache partition option (or a different key which differs on your Android device).
• Step 06: The wipe cache partition process will begin. Reboot your Android device when prompted after the process is done.
• Step 07: Your Android device will reboot. After, open again the Messages app to check if the issue is now resolved.

6. Restart Your Android Device

Restarting the device will release the memory, free up space, and end the processes. Your data will not be affected as it only restarts the state of your device.

• Step 01: Press and hold the Power button for several seconds.
• Step 02: A menu will be displayed. Select Restart from the list.
• Step 03: Your Android device will restart. After it boots up, access again the Messages app and checks if the text messages now appear.

How to do hard reboot or force restart:

This is usually done when your device hangs or freezes.

• Step 01: Press and hold the Power On / Off button for several seconds until it vibrates and shuts down. You can also hold the Power On / Off button and Volume button for several seconds.
• Step 02: When the screen lights up, release the buttons.
• Step 03: The Android device will reboot. After it boots up, access again the Messages app and checks if the text messages now appear.

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7. Force Stop the Messages App

Try to force stop the Messages app and see if the issue on why do my text messages disappear on Android will be resolved.

• Step 01: On your Android device, tap on Settings.
• Step 02: Tap on Apps.
• Step 03: Scroll down and find Messages from the list of Apps.
• Step 04: Tap on the Force Stop
• Step 05: The Messages app will be force stopped. Launch again the Messages app and verify if the problem is now resolved.

8. Uninstall the Recent Updates

You can try to restore to the previous version or the factory setting of the app. Sometimes the recent updates which are downloaded and installed for the Messages app can affect your text messages

• Step 01: On your Android device, tap on Settings.
• Step 02: Tap on Apps.
• Step 03: Select Messages from the list of Apps.
• Step 04: Tap on the Uninstall Updates
• Step 05: The recent version of the app will be uninstalled. Wait until the uninstallation process is complete.
• Step 06: Launch again the Messages app and check if the problem is now resolved.

9. Reinstall the Messages App

Try to reinstall the Messages app on your Android device to get the newly deployed updates and fixes from the developer.

• Step 01: On your Android device, launch the Google Play Store
• Step 02: Search for Messageson the search box.
• Step 03: Tap on the Messages app and tap the Uninstall or Update
• Step 04: When the app is uninstalled, tap on the Install Wait until the installation process is complete.
• Step 05: Launch the Messagesapp and see if the issue is resolved.

10. Switch to a Different Text Messaging App

If the issue still occurs, try to switch to a different messaging app for your text messages.

• Step 01: On your Android device, launch the Google Play Store
• Step 02: Uninstall the Messaging app and search for another messaging app.
• Step 03: When the result is returned, tap on the app and tap the Install
• Step 04: Wait until the installation process is completed. Next, launch the newly installed app and check if your text messages now appear.

11. Update the Android OS to the Most Recent Version

Update the Android version of your mobile device to get the most recent fixes and updates that you need to install to your Android device.

• Step 01: On your Android device, tap on Settings.
• Step 02: Tap on About phone.
• Step 03: Scroll down to select Software Update.
• Step 04: You will get a message if there are updates available for download.
• Tap on Download updates manually.
• Step 05: Follow the next instructions to update the Android system.
• Step 06: Wait until the download and update are completed ensuring that are no interruptions during the install process. When prompted, reboot your device after the update.
• Step 07: Launch again the Messagesapp and check if the text messages now appear.

12. Submit Feedback to the Developer

• Step 01: Launch the Messages app
• Step 02: Tap on the three dots menu and select Help and Feedback.
• Step 03: Tap on Send feedback.
• Step 04: Type in your feedback.
• Step 05: Tap Send.

Above are all the common solutions for you when your text messages disappear. If none of them works, you'd better get the recovery tool to check if your messages are still recoverable. Get FoneDog Android Data Recovery for free now:

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Part 5. How to Back up Your Text Messages Stored on Android

This section provides a simple process on how to back up your text messages stored on Android in case of loss. You can utilize the built-in feature of Google Drive.

• Step 01: On your Android device, tap on Settings.
• Step 02: Tap on System then Google.
• Step 03: Tap on Backup.
• Step 04: Switch on the Backup to Google Drive.
• Step 05: Specify the account to use.
• Step 06: Tap Back Up Now.

Part 6. Why Messages Disappeared and How to Fix? (iPhone)

Why are my iPhone text messages disappeared? Here are the possible reasons:

• Accidentally deleted from your iPhone.
• An unexpected error occurred after an iOS update.
• iMessage settings misconfigured.
• More unknown reasons.

If it is caused by the default settings of the iMessage app, you can simply go to the Settings app and set it to "Forever" to avoid losing more messages.

But your messages have disappeared, what should you do to get the messages back? If you already backed up the messages safely, it is easy to restore the messages to your iPhone.

However, if you do not have any backup, and you have tried all the common methods to get them back, then it is best to use a professional recovery tool to recover your precious messages on your iPhone.
FoneDog iOS Data Recovery is a great tool designed to recover lost/disappeared/deleted messages and other data from iOS devices automatically. It detects the deleted data and lets you preview to select which to recover.

You can try it for free by clicking the button below.

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Part 7. In Summary

We use our mobile devices to send and receive text messages. We keep some of the text messages which contain important information that we can refer to later on. And it would be a problem when you encounter an issue such as why do my text messages disappear on the Android device. To help you resolve the issue, this article presents various methods on how to recover the lost text messages.

FoneDog Android Data Recovery is another method that you can use for easier and faster recovery of text messages. It is highly recommended to regularly do a backup of your data from your device in times of accidental loss or deletion.

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