How to Find Deleted Messages on iPhone

A lot of stored iPhone messages are useless for you. It takes quite much persistence to make up your mind to delete iPhone messages, worrying that you may need them one day. The funny thing is, once you delete these iPhone SMS, somehow they become useful and have some information you need. So how to find deleted messages on iPhone? In the following article, there are 4 working ways to recover deleted messages on iPhone

Find Deleted Messages on iPhone

Part 1. Use the Built-in Recently Deleted Folder (iOS 16 / 17 / 18)

Your deleted Ios message is not totally destroyed. On iOS 16 and newer, Apple added a Recently Deleted folder inside the Messages app. It keeps deleted messages for 30 days. This is the easiest and safest way to recover messages.

How to Find Recently Deleted

Step 1:
Open Messages app on your iOS devices and tap the Edit button on the top left. Then, tap Show Recently Deleted.
Step 2:
Select the messages your want to recover and tap Recover All. Go back to the iPhone messages app and you can see find the deleted message.
Find Deleted Messages on Delete

Keep in mind that your messages in Recently Deleted file only stays for 30 days. After that, iOS deletes them automatically. Once removed from here, Apple cannot restore them

Part 2. Spotlight Search iPhone to Find Deleted Messages

Sometimes deleted messages still appear in Spotlight search for a short time. This happens because:

1. iOS updates its search index in the background

2. There can be a delay between deleting a message and removing it from search

Step 1:
Swipe down on your Home Screen.
Step 2:
Type a keyword, name, or phone number.
Step 3:
Check the results.

If you’re lucky, you may still see the deleted message.

iPhone Spotlight Search

Note: This only works briefly and is not reliable, but it’s worth trying right after deletion.

Part 3. Find Deleted Messages from iCloud Backup

If your messages were in a backup, you can restore the backup to get them back. This method works well, but it has one big downside:

It replaces your current data and remove all new messages, photos and app data.

Steps of iCloud Backup Restore

Step 1:
Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Step 2:
Tap Erase All Content and Settings.
Step 3:
During setup, choose Restore from iCloud Backup.
Step 4:
Pick a backup from before the messages were deleted.
Find Deleted Messages on iCloud

Part 4. See Deleted iPhone Messages with FoneLab

iCloud recovery can be of convenience if you do have a backup. For people who want to find all deleted messages on iPhone/iPad without data loss, there is another way to check deleted iPhone texts, that is to scan and view all iPhone text messages including the deleted ones with the help of FoneLab iPhone Data Recovery – one perfect iPhone manager. So how to see deleted messages on iPhone? You can follow the simple steps below:

Step 1:
Download and Launch FoneLab iPhone Data Recovery and connect iPhone to PC/Mac. Wait until iPhone is recognized automatically.
Free DownloadFor Windows

Secure100% Secure. No Ads.

Free DownloadFor macOS

Secure100% Secure. No Ads.

Step 2:
Choose Recover from iOS Device to see deleted messages. All files on your iPhone will be scanned and displayed according to categories such as Media, Playlists, Photos, Books, Contacts, SMS and more.
See Deleted iPhone Messages with FoneLab
Step 3:
Click SMS from the left list, then all iPhone messages, including deleted will be displayed in the preview window. Now you can find all deleted messages on iPhone. Check the Only display the deleted item(s) option, then you can see deleted iPhone messages only.
How to Find Deleted Messages on iPhone

With this iPhone messages manager, you could not only look at deleted iPhone messages, but also see other deleted files such as photos, contacts, etc. Besides, if you want to not just see deleted iPhone text messages, this software supports you to recover deleted messages on iPhone. In addition, FoneLab also helps you find deleted iPhone messages from backup.

Part 5. FAQs of Finding Deleted iPhone Messages

Do deleted text messages stay on iPhone?

Yes. The deleted text messages still stay on your iPhone after deletion. It will be marked as deleted by the internal database on iPhone. Besides, the deleted text messages is sent to the network provider.

What is the simplest method to mirror PC to TV?

Yes. If you have enabled iCloud Backup on your iPhone, your messages, contacts, calendars and settings will be backed up automatically.

Where are iMessages stored?

iMessages are automatically stored in Apple's backup system iCloud. You can enable iMessages on in Settings > Messages.

Conclusion

In this article, we have sloved the basic question “are iPhone messages really deleted?” and we have offered you simple tricks on how to find deleted messages on iPhone, if you have more questions or suggestions to see iPhone deleted messages, leave your comments down below.

What do you think of this post?

Excellent

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (based on 349 votes)Follow Us on

Disqus IconLeave your comment and join our discussion
iPhone Data Recovery box

The best iPhone data recovery software ever, allowing users to safely recover lost iPhone/iPad/iPod data from iOS device, iTunes/iCloud backup.

Free DownloadFor Windows

Secure100% Secure. No Ads.

Free DownloadFor macOS

Secure100% Secure. No Ads.

Back to top