How to recover deleted messages on iPhone

iOS message icon with a fingertip tapping it

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Knowing how to recover deleted messages on iPhone can brand all the difference if you accidentally bin an of import message, or but alter your mind subsequently having a clear out.

Once you've deleted a bulletin on iOS xv, in that location's no firsthand fashion of recovering information technology. You can't shake your device to disengage your error, no affair how vigorously you lot effort. Neither tin you delve into the Settings app for an "undelete" option, or find your texts waiting in a "holding folder" equally you can with deleted photos.

Instead, you're going to have to go back in time to a signal earlier the message was deleted. But this is going to be dependent on you lot having created a backup, whether on a computer or, more conveniently, in iCloud.

Whether you take an iPhone 13 or any other device running iOS 15, hither's how to recover deleted messages on iPhone. And when you lot're done here, check out our other handy iPhone tips, including how to mirror an iPhone to your Television set.

How to recover deleted messages on iPhone: Backup using iCloud

The first step to recovering deleted messages on iPhone is to dorsum up your device using iCloud, which is something you should be doing on a regular ground anyway. Information technology could make all the difference to your chances of recovering a text — or any other information — if you accidentally delete one in the time to come.

1. With your iPhone connected to a Wi-Fi network, launch the Settings app and tap your proper name.

iOS Settings app with name highlighted — (Image credit: Apple tree)

2. Now select iCloud from the listing of options.

iOS Settings app with iCloud highlighted — (Image credit: Apple)

3. It'due south worth making sure the toggle next to Messages is turned on. You should too tap on iCloud Backup. Yous might find that this is already turned on – in which case, automatic backups are already being created. If not, then you can easily rectify that.

iOS iCloud app with iCloud Backup highlighted — (Image credit: Apple)

4. Make sure you switch on iCloud Fill-in. If you lot have just turned information technology on, and so tap Support Now. Y'all should also do this if it appears your iPhone hasn't automatically backed up in a while. It will only do this when your iPhone is plugged in, locked and connected to a Wi-Fi network.

iOS iCloud Backup page with iCloud Backup toggle and Back Up Now highlighted — (Prototype credit: Apple tree)

How to recover deleted messages on iPhone from an iPhone backup

If yous've deleted a text and want to get information technology back, you demand to check when your last backups were fabricated. This lets you judge whether or non restoring a fill-in will make any departure. If the only backup available was made after you deleted a bulletin, for example, and then you won't be able to go information technology back.

1. With that in mind, launch the Settings app and tap your name. Then tap iCloud.

iOS Settings app with name and iCloud highlighted — (Image credit: Apple)

2. At present tap Manage Storage (if iCloud Backup isn't turned on, then your chances of successfully recovering texts is going to be much lower).

iii. On the iCloud Storage screen, tap Backups and then select a backup that you call up volition contain the message that you desire to call back.

iOS iCloud Storage app with Backups and iPhone name highlighted — (Image credit: Apple)

4. You will see data about the backup — the most crucial beingness when it was concluding fabricated. If information technology looks as if it volition incorporate the deleted message, then it's time to try and go information technology back.

iOS Settings app with Last Backup highlighted — (Prototype credit: Apple)

5. Go back to the main Settings screen and tap Full general. And so scroll to the lesser of the screen and tap Transfer or Reset iPhone.

iOS Settings app with General and Transfer or Reset iPhone highlighted — (Image credit: Apple)

six. At present, yous need to effectively wipe your iPhone clean, which means y'all have to tap Erase All Content and Settings.

iOS Transfer or Reset iPhone app with Erase All Content and Settings highlighted — (Image credit: Apple tree)

vii. Your iPhone will shut down and restart. When it comes back to life, get through the setup procedure and, when yous make it on the Apps & Information screen, tap Restore from iCloud Backup. Cull the backup yous identified earlier in the process. All of your backed upwardly data will now be restored.

iOS Apps & Data app with Restore from iCloud Backup highlighted — (Image credit: Apple)

How to recover deleted messages on iPhone from a estimator backup

It is possible to dorsum up an iPhone on a estimator using iTunes on a PC or Finder on a Mac. You would need to connect your iPhone to the USB port of the computer and select your device.

You will then be prompted to back upwardly, with the data beingness stored on the estimator rather than in iCloud. On a Mac, for instance, you would just click Back up all the data on your iPhone to this Mac so click Back up Now to get the procedure underway.

iTunes on Mac backup page — (Image credit: Apple)

On Windows, you lot'd demand to launch iTunesand click Summaryon the left-hand side. So, under Backups,select This Computer thenclick Dorsum Up Now.

Now yous know how to restore deleted messages on iPhone, take a expect at how to reset a locked iPhone without a computer or how y'all tin can launch apps by tapping the back of your iPhone. And if a child in your intendance uses an iOS device, you lot might want to check out how to use the new Child Safety features in iOS 15.2.

David Crookes is a freelance writer, reporter, editor and author. He has written for technology and gaming magazines including Retro Gamer, Spider web User, Micro Mart, MagPi, Android, iCreate, Total PC Gaming, T3 and Macworld. He has besides covered crime, history, politics, education, wellness, sport, film, music and more, and been a producer for BBC Radio v Live.