How to recover deleted messages on iPhone

iOS message icon with a fingertip tapping it

(Epitome credit: Shutterstock)

Knowing how to recover deleted messages on iPhone can make all the difference if you accidentally bin an of import message, or simply alter your heed after having a clear out.

Once you've deleted a message on iOS 15, there'due south no firsthand way of recovering it. You can't milk shake your device to undo your fault, no thing how vigorously you try. Neither can you delve into the Settings app for an "undelete" option, or find your texts waiting in a "property folder" equally yous can with deleted photos.

Instead, you're going to take to go back in time to a betoken before the message was deleted. Only this is going to be dependent on you having created a backup, whether on a figurer or, more conveniently, in iCloud.

Whether yous accept an iPhone xiii or whatever other device running iOS 15, hither's how to recover deleted messages on iPhone. And when you're done hither, bank check out our other handy iPhone tips, including how to mirror an iPhone to your TV.

How to recover deleted messages on iPhone: Fill-in using iCloud

The commencement step to recovering deleted letters on iPhone is to back up your device using iCloud, which is something you should be doing on a regular basis anyway. It could brand all the difference to your chances of recovering a text — or whatsoever other data — if you accidentally delete i in the future.

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

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

two. Now select iCloud from the list of options.

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

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

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

4. Make sure you switch on iCloud Backup. If you lot have just turned it on, and so tap Back up At present. You 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 continued to a Wi-Fi network.

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

How to recover deleted messages on iPhone from an iPhone backup

If you've deleted a text and want to get it back, y'all need to cheque when your concluding backups were made. This lets y'all judge whether or not restoring a backup will brand whatever departure. If the only backup available was made afterward you deleted a bulletin, for example, then yous won't be able to get information technology dorsum.

1. With that in heed, launch the Settings app and tap your name. So tap iCloud.

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

2. Now tap Manage Storage (if iCloud Backup isn't turned on, so your chances of successfully recovering texts is going to exist much lower).

3. On the iCloud Storage screen, tap Backups and and so select a backup that yous think will contain the message that you want to retrieve.

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

4. You will run into information about the backup — the most crucial beingness when it was last made. If information technology looks equally if it volition comprise the deleted bulletin, then it's time to endeavor and get it back.

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

5. Go back to the main Settings screen and tap General. And then gyre 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. Now, you need to effectively wipe your iPhone clean, which means you have to tap Erase All Content and Settings.

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

vii. Your iPhone volition shut downward and restart. When it comes back to life, become through the setup process and, when you lot arrive on the Apps & Data screen, tap Restore from iCloud Backup. Choose the backup you identified earlier in the procedure. All of your backed up information 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 computer backup

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

Y'all volition then be prompted to back up, with the data being stored on the computer rather than in iCloud. On a Mac, for case, yous would merely click Back up all the data on your iPhone to this Mac then click Support At present to get the procedure underway.

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

On Windows, you'd demand to launch iTunesand click Summaryon the left-manus side. Then, nether Backups,select This Computer thenclick Dorsum Up Now.

Now you know how to restore deleted messages on iPhone, take a look at how to reset a locked iPhone without a computer or how you can launch apps by tapping the back of your iPhone. And if a child in your care uses an iOS device, you might want to bank check out how to use the new Kid Safety features in iOS 15.2.

David Crookes is a freelance author, reporter, editor and author. He has written for engineering science and gaming magazines including Retro Gamer, Spider web User, Micro Mart, MagPi, Android, iCreate, Total PC Gaming, T3 and Macworld. He has also covered crime, history, politics, education, health, sport, motion-picture show, music and more than, and been a producer for BBC Radio five Live.