How to Recover Deleted Messages on iPhone

Starting iOS 16, deleted messages and conversation can be recovered on iPhone.

In Messages, tap Edit in the upper-left corner.

[{"selector":"#anim-03e48ead-1914-4387-a522-43d33e3658b6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-11.206896316329088%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b493bea1-4dde-4dd7-8025-7768ad8f8151","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

This button might say "Filters", if you have Filter Unknown Senders turned on.

[{"selector":"#anim-08dbff2e-91ce-461e-96f9-59d72b22cc77 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a870909e-571a-4622-bbac-34bd4c631ad1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8047c283-e62d-4f00-903a-daca29ff4239","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-112.77956%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Then tap Show Recently Deleted,

[{"selector":"#anim-b5ec20be-d018-4271-be4f-25c1cb519460 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(11.373390323555151%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-914bde5a-7fe1-47d7-9eca-fc7a67374733","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2bae16a5-1783-4154-b51a-8deb46508ab2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -924.96178%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

select the conversation you want to restore,

[{"selector":"#anim-1a33fd2e-bbd5-4944-a41a-426a6b421ec1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(15.183752206531334%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fcfd557a-978b-42d5-9ae2-4d1bde3e3d44","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a92f3e53-8acd-4be9-ad23-ec7ae3b88a62","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 178.38660%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

and tap Recover in the bottom-right corner.

[{"selector":"#anim-f62d9e47-135d-4137-abf1-43d7f275967c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-612d26b2-89e2-400e-9ee7-92925c62201e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5a52c724-cb8e-447b-bc9e-7855c1f1d084","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(118.84984%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

Tap Recover Messages

[{"selector":"#anim-dab3d1c5-aa81-41a1-8901-3e38925bef59 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(11.497325969575824%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f4c6b3eb-7f15-4827-96d7-0c05a3079ac0","keyframes":[{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":0},{"transform":"scale(1.5)","offset":0.33},{"transform":"scale(0.95)","offset":0.66},{"transform":"scale(1)","offset":1}],"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}]

Then tap Done in the upper-right corner when you're finished.

[{"selector":"#anim-440d7892-eb21-45f8-b281-4ce07044c906 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-12.184873720119118%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-80a40115-dbc4-4d3d-a939-0fc4a1275224","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4dbee7c-0539-43e0-8308-459821b0e410","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.16933%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

This will recover all messages and media, including photos and videos for the conversation.

[{"selector":"#anim-22e3135e-3ebf-434f-88ff-d86bddb4d2c8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(16.160919355963962%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82996251-d82c-4506-a8b7-c117cc4b0d59","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ddc548de-74b6-422d-9576-bb0bbc69d8f2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -397.18955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

You can recover deleted messages for up to 30 days.

[{"selector":"#anim-2c303ea9-97f0-4da1-8608-56dbdf39788b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(16.160919355963962%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dc3471bd-32f7-4b38-8b7b-27298172aca3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-678c89f8-f1f4-436b-a807-ca38c544263a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 154.49736%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

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[{"selector":"#anim-70e109fb-3273-4418-b1fe-562648addbd8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-32fc4af6-b4c9-4ab9-9ac0-4b4ff2b602e7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(138.19443%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0702e2f-67ae-4e77-a2f3-3de6b1e35342","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f1762c59-1beb-4951-9385-c494ad7df79e","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-326deg) translate3d(0px, 1698.00560%, 0) rotate(326deg)","rotate(-326deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(326deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Scribbled Arrow Learn more