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Penny Warren Published on November 11, 2024Recover Data3-min reading
When you need to find and recover deleted text messages or iMessages, the method varies depending on when and where you delete them. For the built-in Messages app on iOS devices, the Recently Deleted folder is the easiest method. Apple introduced this feature to help users avoid information loss on their devices. This guide tells you how to see recently deleted messages on your iPhone and other knowledge you should know about this feature.
In this article:
Part 1. How Recently Deleted Messages Work
As a dedicated folder, you can find Recently Deleted in the built-in Messages app on your iPhone which stores any messages that you have deleted in the last month. Both recently deleted text messages and iMessages will show up in this folder. That includes text, images, voice messages, files, and videos shared by you or others.
No matter you delete single messages from a conversation or entire chats, they will go to the Recently Deleted folder. Therefore, you can easily find recently deleted messages on your iPhone before they are permanently cleaned up.
Apple introduced the Recently Deleted folder into iOS 16 and above. The only prerequisite is updating your software.
How to Move a Message Thread to Recently Deleted
Open the Messages app from your home screen.
Locate the conversation that you want to remove, and swipe over from right to left.
Tap the Delete button. If prompted, confirm the action.
How to Move Multiple Message Threads to Recently Deleted
Run your Messages app.
Press the More button with a three-dot icon at the top right side, and choose Select Messages on the context menu.
Check the unwanted conversations, and tap the Delete or Trash button. Then hit the Done button.
How to Move a Single Message to Recently Deleted
Select the conversation that includes the unwanted message in the Messages app.
Long-press the message, and choose More on the pop-up menu. Then the message will be marked with a check.
Next, tap the Trash button to delete it immediately.
After you delete a thread or a message on your iPhone, it will instantly move to the Recently Deleted folder inside your Messages app. Then iOS keeps them for up to 30 days from the time you deleted these messages. Before they are permanently removed, you can access them, bring them back to your chats, or remove recently deleted messages on your iPhone manually.
Once they expire, iOS will remove them from the Recently Deleted folder and erase them forever. According to Apple, the duration may take up to 40 days on some occasions for the messages to get deleted.
If you want to avoid message loss, you can move them back to the main messages screen from the Recently Deleted folder before its expiration date. Then delete it again to renew its expiration date.
Part 2. Accessing Recently Deleted Messages
As mentioned previously, the Recently Deleted folder enables you to check the lost messages on your iPhone easily. However, where is Recently Deleted in Messages on iPhone? You can learn how to find, retrieve, and turn off Recently Deleted in the Messages below.
How to Check Recently Deleted Messages on iPhone
Once you tap the Delete button, your messages won’t be permanently removed from your iPhone. Alternatively, they are accessible inside a separate Recently Deleted folder within the Messages app.
Open the Messages app if you want to check recently deleted messages on your iPhone.
Tap the Filters button and choose the Recently Deleted folder. If you have not turned on messages filtering, tap the Edit button instead, and choose Show Recently Deleted on the context menu. You don't have to enter the passcode used to unlock your iPhone.
Here you can look at recently deleted messages that are organized by contacts. Plus, you can learn the days that remain before deletion.
How to Retrieve Recently Deleted Messages on iPhone
If you want to access recently deleted messages, you can recover them to the Messages screen. Bear in mind that the messages will merge with the existing conversations. Existing messages won’t be interrupted or overwritten.
Enter the Recently Deleted folder in your Messages app.
Tap the box next to each thread that you want to recover. Once a thread is selected, you should see the check mark.
Hit the Recover button at the bottom right corner. Then press the Recover [number] Messages button on the pop-up dialog. Now, you can view recently deleted messages on your iPhone.
Note:
If you want to get back all messages, tap the Recover All button instead, and confirm the action.
How to Delete Recently Deleted Messages on iPhone
By default, Recently Deleted is turned on in Messages on iPhone. Moreover, you cannot turn off this feature. If you want to permanently delete private messages, you can manually delete recently deleted messages.
Go to the Recently Deleted folder in your Messages app.
Select the message threads that you want to hide, and tap the Delete button at the bottom left side.
If prompted, confirm the deletion. If you wish to clean up the Recently Deleted folder. Tap the Delete All button directly.
Note:
Once you remove recently deleted messages on your iPhone, you cannot recover or access them anymore. To avoid data loss, you’d better back up your messages to your computer or cloud storage.
Part 3. Limitations of Recently Deleted Messages
The Recently Deleted folder is not perfect. Some people reported that their recently deleted messages are not showing on iPhones. Therefore, you should understand the limitations of this feature too.
1. It is only available to iOS 16 and newer. This feature was introduced when Apple released iOS 16. You need to update your iPhone to iOS 16 or above. The folder won’t be accessible on iPhones running older iOS versions.
2. There is an expiration date. The Recently Deleted folder only stores your messages that were deleted within 30 days. When it reaches the expiration date, iOS will automatically remove the messages permanently from your memory.
3. Once you recover recently deleted messages on your iPhone, they will disappear in the Recently Deleted folder. You can check them in the Messages screen.
4. If you have deleted the messages in the Recently Deleted folder, they are gone permanently. You cannot find the messages in the Recently Deleted folder or another app on your device. Without iTunes or iCloud backup, it is difficult to retrieve these messages.
5. The messages you deleted before updating to iOS 16 won’t show up inside the Recently Deleted folder inside your Messages app.
6. Keep messages history. To free up space, iOS deletes your message history automatically. If you want to keep your messages, you’d better change the settings. Open the Settings from your home screen, go to the Messages tab, tap Keep Messages, and choose Forever. Then iOS won’t delete your message history.
Part 4. Cannot Find Your Messages in Recently Deleted? Try This Tool
Apparently, the Recently Deleted feature inside the Messages app cannot recover all lost messages. If your messages are permanently deleted or you cannot find old messages in the Recently Deleted folder, imyPass iPhone Data Recovery can help you resolve the problem.
Key Features of the Best Message Recovery Tool1. Recover deleted messages on iPhone without backup.
2. Extract lost messages from iTunes or iCloud backup.
3. Preview deleted iPhone messages for selective recovery.
4. Available to text, pictures, voice messages, and videos.
5. Support all iOS versions without resetting your iPhone.
How to Recover Recently Deleted Messages Without Backup
Connect to your iPhone
Launch the best message recovery software after you install it on your PC. There is another version for Mac. Connect your iPhone to your computer with a Lightning cable. Choose Recover from iOS Device to move on.
Preview messages
Follow the instructions to trust your computer, and click the Start Scan button. When it is done, go to the Messages tab from the left side. Then pull down the top option and choose Show Deleted Only. Now, you can see recently deleted messages on your iPhone. To get back the deleted message attachments, go to the Message Attachments tab. If you want to recover contacts on your iPhone, this program can also make it.
Recover iPhone messages
Select all messages and attachments that you want to get back, and click the Recover button at the bottom right corner. Then set a folder to save the messages, and click Recover again.
Note:
If you cannot find the deleted messages, it means that they were overwritten by new data. You can try the iTunes or iCloud backup instead.
How to Retrieve Recently Deleted Messages from iTunes Backup
If you've ever backed up your iPhone to iTunes, you may be able to see recently deleted messages from your iTunes Backup.
Open iTunes backup
After connecting your iPhone to the software, choose Recover from iTunes Backup File on the left side. Then select the backup file that may contain the deleted messages, and hit the Start button. If the backup is encrypted, enter your password to continue.
Retrieve deleted messages
As long as the iTunes backup opens, head to the Messages tab. Switch to the Show Deleted Only option from the Show All option. Then look up recently deleted messages on your iPhone. Select the desired messages and conversations, and click the Recover button. Follow the instructions to save and recover your messages.
How to Extract Recently Deleted Messages from iCloud Backup
Download iCloud backup
If you prefer to back up messages to iCloud, choose the Recover from iCloud Backup File tab in the iPhone Data Recovery tool. Next, sign in with your Apple ID and password. If you have enabled two-factor authentication, enter the verification code that appears on your screen. Then choose iCloud Backup to access your iCloud Backup, and click the Download button next to the right backup file. You can pick the right one based on the backup date.
Extract deleted messages
Make sure to tick the checkboxes next to Messages and Message Attachments on the data type window. If you want to recover third-party messaging apps, like WhatsApp, select relevant options on the list. Then click the Next button to extract recently deleted messages from the iCloud backup file. Make sure to select all desired items, and click the Recover button. Set a directory to save your messages and hit Recover again.
Conclusion
This guide has explained how to recover recently deleted messages on iPhone. With the Recently Deleted feature inside your Messages app, you can get back the removed SMS and iMessage quickly. It enables you to view, access, and recover lost messages without extra software or hardware. Of course, your iPhone must run iOS 16 or newer. Plus, the messages must be deleted within 30 days. imyPass iPhone Data Recovery, on the other hand, is a flexible way to get back lost messages on iPhone. If you have other questions about this topic, please write them down below.
Penny Warren, a senior editor from imyPass, is specialized in MS Office software. You can find professional tutorials and solutions of MS Office software from her posts.
