“I need help. My boss just sent me several messages containing crucial information for our upcoming project. As I was attempting to forward them to my colleague, I pressed the delete button by mistake. I can’t possibly ask my boss to send those messages again. Is there a way for me to recover those deleted messages? Please help me!”
Part 1. Deleted Text Messages on iPhone
Many of us do not delete our text messages. Chances are we have messages going back a year or two. Some of them may be from our family or a friend you see once a year. A few may be from work, filled with important details that you need to do your job well. You can read them anytime as long as those messages are not yet deleted.
Now, what if you did delete some of your important text messages? You could have deleted them on purpose to clear up space on your iPhone. It’s also a possibility that you thought you won’t need that message again, only to regret that decision later on. Accidental deletion can also happen.
You should know that there are 3 ways to recover deleted text messages from iPhone. Deleted messages should be no cause for worry, more so if you have backups. Before we proceed, keep these things in mind to make the recovery easier.
- Limit the use of your iPhone. Refrain from opening your apps, sending new text messages, and taking photos and videos. This is to keep your iPhone from creating new files that may overwrite any deleted data, including your deleted SMS.
- Do not repeatedly restart your iPhone. Restarting your iPhone may cause unexpected results. In cases of data loss, it is better to err on the side of caution.
- Check your latest backup, if any. Verify if you have a backup and if that backup contains your messages. Check the backup date. This is especially important if the messages in question were recently received or sent.
Part 2. Recover Deleted Text Messages from iPhone with Your Backups
iPhone users have at least two ways to back up their text messages. The first is with iCloud and the second with iTunes. Although both serve as convenient methods to back up, they have their own share of drawbacks. For instance, iTunes can only perform a complete backup of your phone. This can be a great thing if you would like to keep a backup of all of your files, but this isn’t so good if you like to retrieve only several of your files. iCloud allows you to enable backup for selected file types. However, but if you wish to restore your backup, all data on your iPhone gets deleted first before you can access the data in your backup. This includes your files and settings. Given this risk, you should first make sure that your backup has your messages covered.
If you think restoring your backup is worth the shot, refer to the guide below.
Option 1: Restore your iCloud backup.
- On your iPhone, launch Settings.
- Tap General>Reset >Erase All Content and Settings.
- Confirm by entering your passcode. Tap Erase iPhone.
- Your iPhone will reboot. When it is back on, tap Restore from iCloud Backup.
- You will be asked to sign in to your iCloud account. Enter your account details to continue.
- You will see a list of backup files. Tap on the backup that has your messages.
Option 2: Restore your iTunes backup.
- On your computer, launch iTunes. Make sure to turn off automatic syncing.
- Connect your iPhone to the computer. Wait for iTunes to detect your device.
- Once you see your iPhone’s name on the upper left corner of the window, click on it.
- Hit the Restore Backup button.
If you’re not willing to take the risk, you’ll surely like our next solution.
Part 3. Use FoneDog iOS Data Recovery to Recover Deleted Text Messages from iPhone.
Aside from restoring your backup to get your SMS back, you can also use a third-party data recovery software like FoneDog iOS Data Recovery. A data recovery software has the ability to access your iPhone’s memory and detect both existing and deleted files. It can also restore iTunes and iCloud backup without wiping off a single file on your iPhone! Isn’t that great?
You have three options when you use FoneDog iOS Data Recovery. You can recover directly from your iPhone, which is best for users who do not have backups or have one but they have not backed up recently. The next option is restoring with your iCloud backup. The third is making use of your iTunes backup. Needless to say, the second and third methods require you to maintain backups. All three solutions will allow you to select specific messages that you want to restore too. Using the software is certainly far more convenient than directly retrieving your backup.
Are you ready to get started? Download FoneDog iOS Data Recovery on your Mac or Windows computer now.
1st Mode: Recover from iOS Device
- Launch the software and connect your iPhone to the computer.
- From the main menu, choose the Recover from iOS Device option and hit Start Scan.
- Wait for the scan to stop. Once it does, you will see different file types on the left side of the window. Click on Messages. A list of found messages will appear on the right.
- View your messages and simply mark those that you want to recover. You can do so by ticking the boxes beside these messages.
- Hit the Recover button when you’re ready to download your messages.
2nd Mode: Recover from iCloud Backup File
- Run the program. When you see the available recovery modes, select Recover from iCloud Backup File.
- Log in to your iCloud account by entering your Apple ID and password.
- The backup files on your iCloud account will appear. Choose the backup that you think contains your messages. Click the Download button.
- The software will direct you to a window with file types that you can recover. Tick Messages. Hit Next to continue.
- All existing and deleted messages will appear. Tick those that you want to retrieve. Click Recover.
3rd Mode: Recovery from iTunes Backup File
- Run FoneDog iOS Data Recovery. Make sure that you use FoneDog on the same computer where you have your iTunes backup.
- Select Recover from iTunes Backup File as your recovery mode. You will be presented with available iTunes backup files. Choose one and press Start Scan.
- Click on Messages under the recoverable file types. Select the messages that you want to retrieve. Press Recover to save your messages on your computer.
Part 4. Conclusion
Now that you know how to recover deleted text messages from your iPhone, you’ll no longer have to fret in case of data loss. You can now use your iPhone with more confidence. Did you know that you can also use FoneDog iOS Data Recovery to restore media files, contacts, and app-related data? To learn how to retrieve them, explore the FoneDog website for more informative articles.Free Download Now: For Windows Version, For Mac Version.
