Recover Recently Deleted Messages iPhone: Complete Guide

Have you ever accidentally deleted important text messages on your iPhone and felt a pang of panic wash over you? We've all been there, and it's undoubtedly frustrating to lose crucial conversations or sentimental messages. Fortunately, Apple has implemented a feature that allows users to recover recently deleted messages iPhone, providing a safety net for fixing messages disappearing on your iPhone.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through various methods to recover recently deleted messages on your iPhone. Whether you have an iPhone X, iPhone 11, or the latest iPhone model, our step-by-step instructions will help you retrieve those valuable messages and get back peace of mind. Let's dive in and ensure you never lose precious messages again!

Part #1: How to Retrieve Recently Deleted Messages iPhonePart #2: The Best Method to Retrieve Recently Deleted Messages iPhoneConclusion

Part #1: How to Retrieve Recently Deleted Messages iPhone

Method #1: Using the Recently Deleted Folder

When you delete messages on your iPhone, they don't immediately vanish into thin air. Instead, they are moved to a hidden folder called "Recently Deleted", where they stay for a specific period before being permanently removed. This window of opportunity gives you a chance to recover accidentally deleted messages without much hassle. Here's how you can do to retrieve recently deleted messages iPhone via Recently Deleted Folder:

1. Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
2. At the top left corner of the app, you’ll find the “Back” arrow. Tap on it to return to the main list of conversations.
3. Now, swipe down on the conversation list to reveal the search bar. Type “Recently Deleted” into the search bar and press enter.
4. You should now see a list of recently deleted messages. Locate the conversation or individual message you want to recover.
5. To restore a conversation, press and hold on it until a menu pops up. Choose “Undelete” to move the conversation back to your regular Messages inbox.
6. For individual messages, simply tap on the message bubble to open the contextual menu, and then select “Undelete”.
7. Your recently recovered messages will now be back in their original location, and you can access them like before.

Keep in mind that the Recently Deleted folder has a retention period, and after a set number of days, the messages will be automatically and permanently erased. Therefore, it's crucial to act promptly to recover any accidentally deleted messages before they are gone forever.

Method #2: Using iTunes Backups

If you have been diligent with backing up your iPhone regularly through iTunes, there's a good chance that your deleted messages are safely stored in one of your previous backups. To retrieve recently deleted messages using iTunes backups, follow these steps:

1. Connect your iPhone to the computer that you usually use for iTunes backups. Launch the latest version of iTunes on the computer.
2. Once connected, select your iPhone icon from the top-left corner of iTunes to access your device summary page.
3. In the “Backups” section, click on “Restore Backup”.
4. A pop-up window will appear, showing you a list of available backups sorted by date. Choose the most recent backup that likely contains the messages you want to recover and click “Restore”.
5. iTunes will now begin the restoration process, which may take some time depending on the size of the backup and your internet connection speed.
6. After the restore is complete, your iPhone will restart, and the recovered data, including recently deleted messages, will be back on your device.
7. Check your Messages app to ensure that the deleted messages are successfully recovered. If they are, you’re all set!

It's important to note that using iTunes to selectively restore a backup to your iPhone will replace the data on your iPhone with the content from the selected backup. Any data created or modified since the backup date will be lost during this process. As a precaution, consider backing up your iPhone again before proceeding.

Method #3: Retrieving Recently-Deleted Messages iPhone through iCloud Backups

If you have been backing up your iPhone using iCloud, you can attempt to retrieve recently deleted messages from your iCloud backups. Follow these steps to recover recently deleted messages iPhone via iCloud backups:

1. Before proceeding, ensure that your iPhone is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network.
2. On your iPhone, go to “Settings”, then tap on your name at the top to access your Apple ID settings.
3. In the Apple ID settings, select “iCloud”.
4. Scroll down and tap on “iCloud Backup”. Make sure that the “iCloud Backup” toggle is turned on. If it is, you should see the date and time of the last iCloud backup.
5. If the last backup date is recent and likely contains the deleted messages, proceed to the next step. If not, you can either wait for your iPhone to perform an automatic backup (if enabled) or manually initiate an iCloud backup by tapping “Back Up Now”.
6. Now, to retrieve the recently deleted messages, you’ll need to erase your iPhone. Don’t worry; this is only temporary, and you’ll restore your data in the following steps.
7. Go back to the main Settings screen and tap on “General”, then select “Reset”.
8. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings”. You may be prompted to enter your passcode and Apple ID password.
9. Your iPhone will be reset and erased. When the setup process begins, choose “Restore from iCloud Backup”.
10. Sign in to your Apple ID, and then select the most recent iCloud backup that you believe contains the deleted messages.
11. The restore process will begin, and your iPhone will restart. Wait for the restore to complete.
12. Once the restore is finished, check your Messages app to see if the recently deleted messages are now recovered.

Remember that restoring from an iCloud backup will replace all the data on your iPhone with the content from the selected backup. Any data created or modified after the backup date will be lost during this process. To avoid any further data loss, consider backing up your iPhone again after retrieving the deleted messages.

Method #4: Recovering Messages Using Finder

If the previous methods did not yield the desired results or if you don't have recent backups, you can attempt to recover recently deleted messages on your iPhone using Finder (for macOS Catalina and later) or iTunes (for macOS Mojave and earlier). Please note that this method might not be as reliable as the previous ones, and the success of message recovery can vary based on different factors. Follow these steps:

1. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a lightning cable.
2. If you are using macOS Catalina or later, open Finder. For macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes.
3. In Finder or iTunes, select your connected iPhone from the list of devices.
4. For macOS Catalina and later, click on the “General” tab in Finder. For macOS Mojave and earlier, click on the “Summary” tab in iTunes.
5. Look for the “Restore Backup” or “Restore iPhone” option and click on it.
6. A pop-up window will appear, showing you a list of available backups sorted by date. Choose the most recent backup that likely contains the messages you want to recover and click “Restore”.
7. Confirm your selection and wait for the restore process to complete. Your iPhone will restart during this process.
8. After the restore is finished, check your Messages app to see if the recently deleted messages are now recovered.

Again, it's important to remember that restoring from a backup will replace all the data on your iPhone with the content from the selected backup. Any data created or modified since the backup date will be lost during this process.

Part #2: The Best Method to Retrieve Recently Deleted Messages iPhone

FoneDog iOS Data Recovery is a reliable and user-friendly third-party software designed to help iPhone users recover lost or deleted data, including messages, contacts, photos, videos, and more.

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With its intuitive interface and advanced recovery algorithms, FoneDog iOS Data Recovery offers a higher chance of successful recovery of recently deleted messages iPhone, even in cases where other methods may have failed. The software is compatible with various iPhone models and iOS versions, making it a versatile choice for data retrieval.

Steps to use FoneDog iOS Data Recovery to "Recover from iOS Device":

Before starting, download and install FoneDog iOS Data Recovery on your computer. Ensure that your iPhone is connected to the computer via a lightning cable.

Step #1: Launch FoneDog iOS Data Recovery And Connect Your iPhone

Launch the FoneDog iOS Data Recovery software on your computer. Connect your iPhone to the computer using a lightning cable. If prompted on your iPhone to "Trust This Computer", tap "Trust" to proceed.

Step #2: Choose "Recover from iOS Device"

On the FoneDog main interface, select the "Recover from iOS Device" option from the left panel. The software will detect your iPhone automatically and display it on the screen.

Step #3: Scan Your iPhone for Deleted Messages

Click the "Start Scan" button to initiate the scanning process. FoneDog iOS Data Recovery will scan your iPhone for all types of recoverable data, including recently deleted messages.

Step #4: Preview And Select Messages to Recover

After the scanning process is complete, you'll see a list of recoverable items, including messages. Navigate to the "Messages" category and preview the deleted messages. Select the ones you want to recover by checking the corresponding boxes.

Step #5: Recover Recently Deleted Messages

Once you've selected the messages you wish to retrieve, click on the "Recover" button at the bottom right corner of the screen. FoneDog iOS Data Recovery will prompt you to choose a location on your computer to save the recovered messages. Select the desired folder, and the software will begin the recovery process.

Remember that the success of data recovery depends on various factors, including the time since deletion and the overall condition of your iPhone. To maximize your chances of retrieving recently deleted messages successfully, it's essential to stop using your iPhone for any data-intensive tasks after the deletion and perform the recovery process as soon as possible.

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Conclusion

Losing important messages on your iPhone can be a distressing experience, but with the right methods and tools, you can still recover them. In this article, we explored various techniques to retrieve recently deleted messages iPhone. We started by using the "Recently Deleted" folder within the Messages app, followed by restoring from iTunes or iCloud backups. While these methods are effective, they may not always guarantee success, especially if backups are not recent or available.

As a powerful and reliable solution, we introduced FoneDog iOS Data Recovery, a user-friendly third-party software designed specifically for iPhone data retrieval. FoneDog iOS Data Recovery stands out for its advanced recovery algorithms, compatibility with various iPhone models and iOS versions, and ability to recover a wide range of data types, including messages.

By following simple steps, such as connecting your iPhone, selecting the "Recover from iOS Device" option, scanning your device, and choosing the desired messages for recovery, FoneDog iOS Data Recovery offers a higher likelihood of successfully retrieving recently deleted messages. It empowers iPhone users to restore their valuable conversations and memories promptly.