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How to Recover Deleted iMessages on iPhone (with & without Backup)

Summary

Important iMessages were deleted on iPhone? Do not cry, and read this post to learn from the 4 ways to get back the deleted iMessages, SMS, and MMS on iPhone with or without backup, even the latest iPhone 15/14/13, etc. are supported.

"I accidentally deleted the old iMessages from my wife, which were quite important for me? Can I get deleted iMessages back?"

Yes, you can.

Sending messages through Wi-Fi is between iPhone iPad users are very popular. However, accidents like deletion, device lost, etc. may lead to iMessages loss.

If you also suffer a lot for the deleted iMesaages, then you come to the right place.

This pot focuses on 4 ways (works for novice) to help recover the deleted iMessages on iPhone with or without backup.

recover iMessages

Part 1. How to Recover Deleted iMessages without Computer

Accidentally deleted iMessages on iPhone, but eager to recover them? You can make it easily without computer.

What you need is to enable Internet connection on your iPhone, and make sure you did iCloud backup before for the deleted iMessages.

Now, let's see the steps in details.

Step 1. Reset iPhone

On your iPhone, go to "Settings" > "General" > "Reset" > "Erase All Content and Settings" to factory reset your iPhone.

Here will wipe out all on your iPhone to make it as "New".

Reset iPhone

Step 2. Restore from iCloud backup

After factory settings your iPhone, you will be directed into "Apps & Data" screen. Tap "Restore from iCloud Backup".

Sign in your iCloud account, and select one backup to get all iMessages back to your iPhone. (iCloud account forgot and iCloud lock? Just remove iCloud lock here.)

View and retrieve the deleted iMessages

Watch here:

1. Taking the way to recover the deleted iMessages will overwrite all data and settings on your iPhone currently, and replace with the previous iCloud backup.

2. However, the question is if you did NOT get iMessages backup, how to get back the deleted iMessages? No worry, and just read the next part.

Part 2. How to Recover Deleted iMessages without Backup

Backing iPhone is a good habit to avoid any data loss. However, if you are unfortunate to forget to make iMessages backup before deletion, is it possbile to recover iMessages?

The answer is yes.

What you need is the iPhone data recovery software, Apeaksoft iPhone Data Recovery, which enables you to recover the deleted data safely and quickly with or without backup.

FoneLab - iPhone Data Recovery

  • Recover the deleted iMessages directly from 15/14/13/12/11/X/8/7, iPad Pro, iPod touch, etc. without backup.
  • Retrieve the lost iMessages from iTunes and iCloud backup with iPhone.
  • Restore other data like contacts, text messages, message attachments, WhatsApp chat history, etc. on iPhone.
Download for WinDownload for Mac

Now, let's breakdown the process..

Step 1. Scan iPhone

Download and install iPhone Data Recovery on computer. This software supports Windows and Mac, and you can select the one you like. Click "iPhone Data Recovery".

Use USB cable to connect iPhone with PC/Mac, and click the first mode in the left pane, "Recover from iOS Device" > "Start Scan" to scan your iPhone.

Connect iPhone

Step 2. View old iMessages

After the scan process finishes, you could see all data type on your iPhone display in this software.

Click "Messages" to see all the deleted and existing text messages and iMessages (Text messages VS iMessages).

If you only want to see the deleted items, just turn the toggle of "Only display the deleted items" to view all deleted iMessages.

View old iMessages

Step 3. Recover deleted iMessages from iPhone

After you find the deleted items, checkmark and click "Recover" to save the deleted iPhone iMessages to computer as CSV, HTML and attached files.

Recover deleted iMessages from iPhone

Check the video to learn how to recover deleted iMessages on iPhone.

Get a quick video tutorial to recover deleted iMessages from iPhone 15/14/13/12/11/X/8/7 and earlier.

Recover Deleted iMessages on iPhonePlay

Is that all iPhone Data Recovery can do for you?

Acutally not.

As mentioned above, it is able to recover deleted iMessages from iTunes and iCloud backup.

Part 3. How to Restore Deleted iMessages from iTunes Backup

Here, check how iPhone Data Recovery scan iTunes backup and export the backup including the iMessages, text messages, contacts, photos, etc. to your computer.

Step 1. Scan iTunes backup

Still launch this program on your computer, click "iPhone Data Recovery" > "Recover from iTunes Backup". You can see the list of iTunes backups, and select the one where the erased iMessages are stored. Click "Start Scan".

Note:

If you find there is a lock image next to the iTunes backup, it means the iTunes backup is encrypted and you need to input iTunes password to unlock it.

Scan iTunes backup

Step 2. View and retrieve the deleted iMessages from iTunes backup

Wait for this tool to scan the iTunes backup. After the scanning process, you can see all data type display on the left pane.

Click "Messages" to see all the deleted iMessages, SMS and MMS.

Check those that you want to restore, click "Recover" to save the deleted iMessages to computer.

View and retrieve the deleted iMessages

In this way, what you need is only the computer with iTunes backup. Here you may also want to know how to fix iMessage not delivered error.

Part 4. How to Retrieve Deleted iMessages from iCloud

This is another option what iPhone Data Recovery can do for you.

Compared with the first method, it lets you view iMessages backup before recovery, and select the exact ones you need to restore to computer, instead of iPhone, which avoids overwriting data on iPhone.

Step 1. Sign in iCloud

Again, run iPhone Data Recovery on your computer. Click "iPhone Data Recovery" > "Recover from iCloud Backup". Log in your iCloud account and password.

View and retrieve the deleted iMessages

Step 2. Download iCloud backup

Select the iCloud backup file that you need, and then hit "Download" button on the right side. Wait a few seconds to complete the iCloud backup files downloading process.

Download iCloud backup

Step 3. Select Messages

There will be the pop-up window to let you select file type, tick Messages to move on.

Select Messages

Step 4. Access and recover iMessages from iCloud

Click "Messages" under "Messages & Contacts" option, turn on or off deleted items display (optional) to view the deleted iMessages, and hit "Recover" button to recover deleted iMessages from iCloud backup files.

Access and recover iMessages

Easy, right? What you need is an iClount account and password.

Part 5: FAQs of Recovering iMessages

Can you recover deleted iMessages on iPhone without backup?

If you want to recover deleted text messages on iPhone without backup files, you need Apeaksoft iPhone Data Recovery. It is a professional tool to scan and recover your deleted iMessages on iPhone. Go to the Part 2 section of this article to know about the detailed information.

How do I find disappeared iPhone iMessages?

You can try restarting your iPhone to check iMessages again. If you can’t find them, you can check Message History to access the missing messages. Or you can use a data recovery tool like iPhone Data Recovery to help you get the missing messages back.

How to backup iMessages?

iCloud and iTunes are the good options to back up iMessages. To know the specific steps, check out this article: Back up iMessages.

From the above 4 ways to recover iMessages with or without backup, you may note that different methods have achieve the slight different results.

The first method is easy without computer, but will overwrite your exisiting data, the second method is safe enough to keep both data, even if you didi not get a backup, the third and fourth way works well to view and restore iMessages from iCloud or iTunes backup without logging iCloud online or running iTunes. Select the best one as you wish.

Now it's up to you to follow suit to recover the deleted iMessages on iPhone.

You cannot miss here:

As another messaging app using Wi-Fi, WhatsApp, if you lost WhatsApp messages on your iPhone, just visit here: Recover deleted WhatsApp Messages.

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