How to See and Recover Deleted Text Messages on iPhone

Can You Retrieve Deleted Texts from iPhone without Backup?

We often delete old text messages from iPhone to free up space. However, sometimes, due to carelessness, some important messages are deleted. In this case, if you have previously made a backup with iCloud, then you can perform a restoration to get back the deleted messages. However, what if there is no available backup? Can you recover deleted messages on iPhone without backup?

In the past, there is no way to get deleted messages back to iPhone without backup, unless you use a data recovery tool. But now, as long as you have updated to iOS 16 or later, you can recover deleted messages on iPhone without any software. It lets you recover deleted messages in the Messages app.

★Tips:

Backup iPhone data can ensure the data safety. Backup iPhone data can ensure the data safety. Whether you want to recover deleted text messages with or without backup, we provide a simplest and fastest backup method in the last part of the article.

How to See and Recover Deleted Messages on iPhone - 2 Top Ways

In this section, there are 2 top ways to help you retrieve deleted text messages iPhone without backup. You can directly recover messages from Recently Delete. If you erase the data on the Recently Delete filter, you can use other third-party iOS data recovery software to do it.

Way 1. How to Get Deleted Messages Back on iPhone via Messages App

In your iPhone, you can recover deleted conversations from the Messages app. Apple has added a Recently Deleted section to the Messages app to store the messages you have deleted in the last 30 days.

After the iPhone 14 running with iOS 16 or later, like iOS 17/18, when you tap the Trash icon, the messages will be moved to the Recently Deleted section. If you want to recover deleted messages on iPhone, you can go to the Recently Deleted section to find the messages you need and recover them. By this way, you can learn how to find deleted text messages on iPhone and recover delete iPhone data without backup.

Steps to recover deleted messages in iOS 16/17/18 and later

Step 1. Open Messages app > Navigate to the main Messages screen.

● If you have enabled Filter Unknow Senders in Settings, you can tap Filters in the top corner to go to the main screen.
● If you have not enabled Filter Unknow Senders, you can tap Edit and choose Show Recently Deleted option.

Step 2. Tap Recently Deleted section > Browse and choose the conversations you want to recover.

Step 3. Tap Recover button.

● The conversations show the days remaining before deletion. After that time, they will be permanently deleted.
● You cannot recover individual text in the conversation, only all text in one conversation.
● You can tap Recover All to recover all messages at once.

Step 4. Choose Recover XX Messages in the pop-over to confirm.

Now you can tap Filters or Done to go to the main screen and check your messages.

Way 2. Retrieve Recently Deleted Text Messages without Backup

If you still cannot recover your deleted messages after updating iOS, or you don't have a backup file available. Then you may need a reliable third-party data recovery software.  There are many iPhone data recovery tools on the market.  For example, MyRecover for iOS, it is a highly-praised and friendly iPhone data recovery software to recover deleted texts from iPhone.

Features of MyRecover for iOS

• Preview all the files and restore the partial data to your iPhone.
• Recover Texts Messages, Photos, Videos, Contacts, Notes, Call History, Reminders, Reminders, etc.
• It doesn’t need you to overwrite all the current data during the recovery process.
• Support varied types of iPhones such as iPhone 15/14, iPad, and work well with iOS from 10.0 to later like the latest iOS 18.

Step 1. After launching MyRecover for iOS on the computer > Then connect your iPhone to the computer.

Step 2. Please “Trust This Computer” on your iOS device > Click the “Scan Now” button to start.

Step 3. Select deleted texts you want > Tap the “Recover” button to retrieve messages on iPhone.

Contact the carrier to recover deleted messages on iPhone
● It’s as easy as ABC to recover deleted messages after iOS 16. However, if you haven't updated to the latest iOS, then you can only recover text messages through other methods. If you neither have an iCloud backup nor want to use recovery software, then you may try to contact the cellular service provider. Some providers keep a record of your text messages as they keep the record of calls.

An Easy Way to Backup iPhone Messages to Avoid Data Loss

Although you can recover deleted messages on iPhone without backup. However, the deleted messages will disappear completely from the phone after 30 days. In addition, in order to free up space, you may have deleted text messages completely, but find that you need them after a few days.

Well, if you want to recover deleted messages on iPhone at any time, making a backup beforehand is a prerequisite. When you have a backup of messages, you can quickly restore them when you need them.

Backup iPhone Messages to iCloud

You can choose to backup messages to iCloud: go to Settings > tap your name > choose iCloud > turn on Messages. In this way, your messages will be uploaded to iCloud and will appear on any device that has this feature enabled. However, 5GB of free storage space may not be enough to store all your messages.

Backup iPhone Messages to Computer (Free & Unlimited)

Fortunately, it’s possible to backup iPhone messages without iCloud. One iOS data management tool called AOMEI FoneBackup can help you save iPhone messages to computer.

● AOMEI FoneBackup offers a superfast backup speed and no internet connection required.
● It allows you to preview and select the messages you want to backup.
● It enables you to backup messages to computer/USB/external drive without space limited.
● It enables you to view the messages on the computer anytime you want.
● The messages backup can be restored to any iPhone without data erasing.

AOMEI FoneBackup supports all iPhone models and all iOS versions. You can click the download button to get the tool and give it a try.

Step 1. Run FoneTool and plug in your iPhone.

Step 2. Choose Phone Backup and go to Selective Backup.

Step 3. Choose Messages to select the text messages and iMessages you want to backup > Click OK to confirm.

Step 4. Choose a location to save your backup files > Click Start Backup and that’s it.

You can go to Backup History to check the backup task. Here you can choose to locate, browse, restore or delete the backup files.

Final words

That’s all about how to recover deleted messages on iPhone. As long as you have updated to iOS, the deleted messages will be moved to the Recently Deleted section, where you can go to find the messages you need and restore them. However, those deleted messages will disappear after 30 days. If you want to make sure you won’t lose any important messages, remember to make a backup.