How to Retrieve Deleted Text on Windows PC & iPhone?

“Can I bring back a text I deleted?”

Many users use text editing/processing apps, like Notepad, to create, edit, share, and send text files. Some also use word processing tools like Microsoft Word in their work and life.

Tons of text files and documents are being created every second, and meanwhile, considerable text files are deleted for different reasons.

The most significant cause of text file loss is deletion. You can see anxious people asking how to recover accidentally deleted files here and there.

If your data loss situation is similar to this user’s or you want to know how to retrieve a deleted text on computer and your iPhone, don’t feel stressed; follow the guide in the next section.

Quick Access >>

• Recover accidentally deleted text using Previous Versions
• Get deleted texts back using Backup & Restore
• Recover deleted texts with filename/format/path kept
• Retrieve deleted text on iPhone via iCloud backup

How to retrieve deleted text on Windows PC?

You might have deleted text files when using Notepad, Word, etc., and need to recover deleted Word documents, txt files, etc. These 3 means will be helpful. Move on to learn how to retrieve a deleted text on computer.

Method 1. Recover accidentally deleted text using Previous Versions

Apart from recovering deleted files from Recycle Bin, Microsoft has offered a tool to help users undo their delete operation: you could restore previous versions of files and folders.

You can get the data you need by reversing the folder (which contained the deleted files) to its previous status.

Notes:✎...

If the text files you deleted were stored directly under the D: drive directory, this method isn’t suitable for you. Check the next one.

Step 1. Go to File Explorer > locate the parent folder of the deleted text files.

Step 2. Right-click the folder > Properties > Previous Versions > choose the latest version > Restore.

See if your removed text files are back. It not only recover txt files, but you can also use it to recover deleted WordPad documents.

Method 2. Get deleted texts back using Backup & Restore

Also, you could rely on your backup if you possess one.

Windows has developed a backup application named Backup and Restore (Windows 7), facilitating users to load a Windows 7 backup onto a machine with a higher OS.

Step 1. Start Control Panel > System and Security > Backup and Restore (Windows 7).

Step 2. Click Restore my files.

Step 3. Click Browse for files > go to the original location > select the deleted text files > Next. Moreover, you can click Browse for folders to recover deleted folders not in Recycle Bin.

Step 4. Store it in the original location/specify the destination > click Restore.

Thus, you could retrieve deleted txt files.

Method 3. Recover deleted texts with filename/format/path kept

How to retrieve deleted text if you have never built restore points or created any backups? Rest assured, the chances of data recovery won’t be that low with the help of data recovery tools.

If you are familiar with commands, and the text files you deleted are in a small amount, then the Recover command in CMD will be worth trying.

But please note that it is a command-line app without a graphical user interface, which is pretty inconvenient.

For a more efficient and easier Windows data recovery utility, AOMEI Data Recovery for Windows will be a better option. It perfectly suits your demands:

Scan, select, and save recovered files in 3 easy steps. 

Recover deleted and missing files from healthy/formatted HDD/SSD/USB/SD cards. 

Scan and restore 200+ types of files, including txt files, word files, media files, zip files, etc. 

Select data to recover during the scanning, saving your time. 

Support Windows 10/8/7 SP 1 & Windows 11. 

Now, please download and start to retrieve deleted text files with ease.

Notes:✎...

Quick Scan only supports NTFS drives; if you use a non-NTFS drive, you will only see results in Other missing files by Deep Scan. 

If you remember the filename, you could search for the name in the search box.

Step 1. Start the program > hover the mouse over the affected hard drive > click Scan.

Step 2. Preview the scanned files or directly select photos to restore.

Step 3. Go to Deleted files > go to the original location of the deleted text files > select files to restore > click Recover x files.

If failed, go to Other missing files > Documents > Text files > see if your pictures are there. Also, using this app, you can recover deleted Excel files in a breeze.

How to retrieve deleted text on iPhone?

How about iPhone users? How to retrieve deleted text messages? Apple has provided convenient data sync and backup features for users, but data loss on iPhone is also an inevitable problem.

Users might have accidentally deleted notes on iPhone, or met iOS update issues that cause data loss.

For users who have deleted or lost text messages on iPhones, they could turn to their backups. For instance, an iCloud backup.

Retrieve deleted text on iPhone via iCloud backup

iCloud backup would be a good option, but with prerequisites.

According to Apple, iCloud backup backs up the data on your iPhone that is not synced via iCloud. That is to say, if you have enabled Messages in iCloud, then you are out of luck.

Go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > check if the Messages option is off.

Then follow the steps to retrieve deleted iPhone messages from iCloud backup.

Notes:✎...

This method will erase all the data on your iPhone. You will lose all the current data on your device. 

Before erasing, please make sure to back up your iPhone using professional data backup software like FoneTool.

Step 1. Go to General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings > Continue. Input your password to confirm.

Step 2. iPhone restarts > Hello Screen > set up your iPhone > connect to a WLAN network> Apps & Data > Restore from iCloud Backup > sign in > choose the last backup.

Step 3. Then check if your deleted messages are back.

FAQ

In this post, a comprehensive guide on how to retrieve deleted text on Windows PC and iPhone is introduced with details.

If you need more info, extra FAQ corner is ready for you.