"Just deleted my client's Messenger chat with our price and delivery date. Can I actually get those messages back? Help, please."

We've been in your exact shoes! We spent 3 days testing every possible recovery method, from free built-in tools to trusted third-party software, to figure out what actually works when deleting messages in Messenger accidentally. Here, we'll break down the 5 methods we verified to help you recover deleted messages on Messenger on iPhone and Android.

Is There a Way to Recover Deleted Messages on Messenger

Many people may accidentally delete important messages or conversations on Facebook Messenger and want to recover them. The question is, can you recover deleted messages on Messenger?

Actually, whether the messages can be recovered depends on different situations, such as whether they were archived instead of deleted, whether a copy or backup is available, or whether the deleted data is overwritten.

Our team tested 5 main methods, and the table below shows in detail their availability, success rate, and limitations to help you find the best way to recover deleted messages on Messenger.

Method 1: Recover Messages on Messenger from Archive

Many users mistakenly think that the conversations have been deleted, but in fact they have just been archived. Actually, the archived messages are still fully saved in the Messenger account and you can access them at any time. Therefore, before searching for how to recover deleted messages on Messenger, the first thing you should do is check your archived conversations.

Step 1. Open Messenger on your mobile device and click the Menu button in the bottom left corner.

Step 2. Locate Archive in the menu and proceed to it.

Step 3. Search for the corresponding contact to find the target conversation. Then, swipe left on the conversation and click Unarchive.

Step 4. Send any message and the conversation will automatically return to the main inbox.

Method 2: Recover Deleted Messages on Messenger from Facebook Account Data

Many users don't know that Facebook allows them to download a copy of their account data. And some users reported that they've found their deleted Messenger messages in the copy. If you can't find the messages you need in Messenger, you can try exporting your Facebook account data to check whether a copy of the chat history is available.

Step 1. Open the Messenger app and click the Menu button, then go to Settings > Accounts Center > Your information and permissions.

Step 2. Select Export your information, choose your account and where to export. Then, only check the Messages category, and set the required time range. Click Start export.

Step 3. Select HTML format for the file (for easy reading) and submit the application.

Step 4. Wait for the platform to complete the packaging process. After receiving the notification, download the compressed file and open the messages folder to view all chat records.

Method 3: Restore Deleted Messenger Messages from a Backup

Many users create backups of their phones but may not know that these backups could contain app data, including Messenger-related information. If you have a backup before the messages were deleted, you can try restoring it and check whether your messages on Messenger are recovered. For iPhone, it relies on iCloud backup; for Android, it depends on Google Drive backup.

Warning: This method only works when you created a backup before the messages are deleted from Messenger. All your current data will be overwritten once you restore the previous backup. Manually back up your iPhone in advance.

Recover Permanently Deleted Messages on Messenger on iPhone

Step 1. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.

Step 2. Set up your iPhone, and choose From iCloud Backup.

Step 3. Sign in with your Apple account, and choose the corresponding backup.

Recover Permanently Deleted Messages on Messenger on Android

Step 1. Visit https://drive.google.com/ and sign in to your Google account.

Step 2. Click the gear button in the top-right corner and choose Settings.

Step 3. Select Manage apps from the left bar. Check if there is a Facebook or Messenger app. If the backup is available, download or reinstall Messenger on your Android phone.

Method 4: Recover Deleted Messages on Messenger Without Backup [Editor's Choice]

If you have accidentally deleted Messenger messages and don't have a backup available, can you recover them? In this case, a professional data recovery tool can be an alternative solution when there is no account backup or full system backup. Apeaksoft iPhone Data Recovery provides an easy and convenient way to recover permanently deleted messages on Messenger, even if there is no backup. Its advanced deep scan technology can directly read raw storage data, recovering deleted or lost data such as photos, videos, call logs, and more. You can even preview the content before the recovery.

Step 1. Download this tool from the button below.

Step 2. Connect your device to this program and click Start Scan.

Step 3. Select Messenger from the left bar. Check the messages you want, then click the Recover button in the bottom right.

Method 5: Ask the Other Person for Chat History

You should know that deleting messages on Messenger only removes them from your side, while the complete conversation remains intact on the other party's device. If possible, you can ask the other party to take screenshots of the entire conversation, forward a single message, or download the account data themselves and share the record file.

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