Recent versions of iOS keep deleted conversations in a Recently Deleted area for a limited time. If the message is still there, you can restore it without erasing the iPhone or restoring an old backup.
Quick steps
- Open Messages.
- Open the Filters or Edit menu, depending on your Messages layout.
- Tap Recently Deleted.
- Select the conversations you want back.
- Tap Recover and confirm.
How long deleted messages remain available
Recently deleted messages are retained only temporarily. If a conversation is no longer listed, the built-in recovery option cannot restore it. The exact number of days remaining is shown in the Recently Deleted view.
What about an iCloud or computer backup?
An older backup can sometimes contain messages that no longer exist on the phone, but restoring a full backup can replace newer data. Check the backup date carefully before considering that approach, and make a current backup first if you decide to restore.
Avoid message-recovery promises
Third-party utilities cannot guarantee recovery of messages that iOS has already removed from accessible storage. Be especially cautious about software that asks for Apple Account credentials or promises certain recovery without a backup.
Before you finish
Recovery is most successful when you notice the deletion quickly. Avoid erasing the iPhone or restoring an old backup until you have checked Recently Deleted and understood what newer information a restore could replace. If the conversation is important for legal, business, or financial reasons, preserve any existing screenshots, backups, or copies on other devices before experimenting with recovery.
If only a few messages are missing, recover those specific items from Recently Deleted instead of restoring the entire iPhone. A full-device restore is a much larger change and can replace newer information created after the backup date. Verify the conversation and timestamps after recovery, particularly when Messages is synchronized across several Apple devices.
Before restoring a conversation
Check the Recently Deleted area before considering a full-device restore. Restoring an older backup can replace newer information, while the built-in Messages recovery feature lets you recover eligible conversations without rolling the entire iPhone back to an earlier state.
Check Recently Deleted in Messages
On supported iOS versions, open Messages and use the edit or filters control to find Recently Deleted. Select the conversation or messages you want and choose Recover. Deleted messages remain recoverable there only for a limited time.
iCloud synchronization changes what deletion means
If Messages in iCloud is enabled, deletions synchronize across devices using that Apple Account. A device backup may not contain a separate copy of messages already synchronized through iCloud. Check Recently Deleted before considering a full-device restore.
Matthew Roberts created this site to help his friends and family with questions that they might have about how to change the settings on their iPhones. It now serves as an archive of iPhone how-to guides to help anyone that stumbles upon this website.