Text messages have a bad reputation for being inconsequential and informal, but they could contain crucial information. So, if you’ve deleted some texts to Clear up space on iPhone and accidentally got rid of one that’s important, don’t panic. There’s a good chance it can be recovered.
Three options are available: You can restore the iPhone to a point before the message was deleted. MightYou may be able contact your wireless provider and possibly be able use a third party app. Here’s a brief explanation of all three options. None of these are guaranteed to work, but if you’re desperate, they’re worth a shot.
Use an iCloud backup for text recovery
This is the fastest and easiest way to recover missing text messages. If you have an iCloud Backup, BeforeThe time you deleted the text. shouldIt is possible to retrieve it by restoring your phone from the iCloud backup.
Open SettingsTap on your Apple ID card to the top and select iCloud > Storage Management > Backups.
![Locating iCloud backups on iOS](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/How-to-get-back-deleted-text-messages-on-iPhone-iCLOUD.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
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You’ll see a list of backups for your devices and can tap on the one for your iPhone to see when it was last backed up.
![Selecting an iCloud backup](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/How-to-get-back-deleted-text-messages-on-iPhone-BACKUPS.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
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This is the frustrating part. You’ll have to Reset your iPhone’s factory settings and start it up againYou can also choose to restore your iCloud backup at the time. Note that you’ll lose all your data from the time AfterYou are the backup.
For a reset of your iPhone, go to General > Transfer or reset iPhone > All Settings and Contents Must Be Removed.
![How to factory reset an iPhone](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/How-to-get-back-deleted-text-messages-on-iPhone-RESET.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
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After your iPhone restarts, you can choose to restore from an iCloud Backup and select the backup that was dated before you deleted your text message.
Get deleted texts back from iTunes or Finder backup
If you don’t want to rely on automatic iCloud backups, or don’t have enough iCloud storage space for them, you can back up your iPhone to your Mac using Finder (or to your PC or Mac with macOS Mojave or earlier that still have iTunes). Similar to the iCloud method above, you will need a backup of the messages before you delete them. Then, you can reset your phone and restore from that backup. You’ll lose everything from after the backup. You should export any files you do not want to lose and save them separately.
- Connect your iPhone to the Mac/PC containing the backup(s). Open iTunes on PC, Finder on Mac or iTunes on Mac.
- You should see the iPhone icon in iTunes’ top left-hand corner. You can select it. Select your device in Finder.
- Choose Now Backup restored. In Finder, you’ll find this option under the General tab.
All your data will be restored to the iPhone. It will take just a few moments. As long as you haven’t backed up since deleting those text messages, they should now appear in the messaging list on your phone.
You can retrieve deleted messages without having to overwrite your iPhone
There is a method that’s brilliant if it works, since it doesn’t require a complete reset. It’s called iCloud Merge, but we’ve had mixed reports on how successful it can be. For reasons that remain unclear, in certain territories and for certain phone operators, iCloud simply doesn’t back up SMS messages.
So try the first two steps to see if you’re one of the lucky ones, and jump ahead to the next method if you’re not.
- Log into iCloud.comUse your Apple ID password.
- Click here Text Messages. (If this option isn’t visible, your messages haven’t been backed up here—so you might as well skip to the next method.)
- You can search the messages to locate the ones that you are looking for.
- Now, go to your iPhone. Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
- Turn off Text Messages (or make sure it’s already turned off).
- You’ll see a popup. You can choose the option that you want to Keep on my iPhone.
- Now, turn on text messages.
- Tap MergeWait. After a few minutes, your deleted text messages should appear again on your iPhone.
Contact your carrier to retrieve deleted text messages
You might have a record of the text messages that you sent to your cell provider, at least for a while. If you’ve deleted a text message that is It is reallyYou might be able contact your carrier to request a copy if it is critical.
This only works for SMS text messages (green-colored bubble conversations), and not iMessages. Every iMessage is encrypted on your device and not decrypted until it reaches the recipient, so your carrier wouldn’t be able to help you recover them.
You will need to go through several steps to prove your identity, or get permission from the other person who sent you text messages in order to obtain a record of them. And most carriers only keep records of SMS messages for a limited time—you’re not likely to ever be able to recover a message from a year ago.
As a last resort, you can request a copy from your carrier of all your SMS messages It is a possibility, and it’s worth calling the customer support number to ask about it.
Third-party apps allow you to recover deleted texts
Many third-party software programs promise to allow you to restore deleted data from your iPhone. It’s a bit of a risk—they’re almost never free and there’s no guarantee they’ll even work. But if you’ve exhausted all other options, and it’s It is reallyImportant, it may be worth a try.
Some software options have a great reputation online. PhoneRescue, Wondershare Dr. Fone?, and Tenorshare UltData. Most often, deleted messages on iPhones are still stored in flash storage. They just need to be overwritten with new data. If that’s the case, one of these programs might be able to restore it.
These methods may not be foolproof. If you don’t have a backup you can restore from before the time you deleted your text message, there’s only a very slim possibility of ever getting it back. So the most important piece of advice is: don’t leave important information in your text messages! Copy that data somewhere more secure and resilient–a place with its own independent cloud-based backups. Check out our guide to the Best cloud storage solutions available for Apple users.