EDITOR NOTE: This is a promoted post and should not be viewed as an editorial endorsement.
Although text messages are important pieces of information, that’s not to say that you have to always keep them around. After all, they sometimes take up more space than your iPhone can ever contain. That is why there is a need to delete them every once in a while.
However, the problem comes when the deleted text message was actually an important one, one that you will need in the future.
This article will show you how you can recover deleted text messages on iPhone so you won’t have to regret your decision. Let’s start with my top recommendation.
Recover Deleted Text Messages on iPhone with Software
There are many ways to recover files, but when it comes to deleted text messages, there are only a few options. However, as always, one of those options involves using third-party software, and that’s exactly why I recommend FoneDog iOS Data Recovery.
As the name implies, this software has the capability of recovering files from an iOS device, so that includes the latest versions of iPhones. These files can range from videos with large sizes to small bits of text messages.
As such, there’s no better tool that can recover deleted text messages on iPhone than FoneDog Data Recovery. Now if you are ready, follow these steps carefully:
Step 1: Connect Your iPhone to Computer
Connect your iPhone into the computer with a cable. Make sure iOS Data Recovery by FoneDog is already open. By doing so, you will get three options. You will be using the easiest and perhaps the most doable option, which is Recover from iOS Device. Click on Start Scan once you select this option.
Step 2: Look for Your Files
Once the Start Scan is clicked, it will obviously scan for your files from the iPhone device. You will then get a list of items, which are the files that can be recovered. On the left side are the file types. Simply select text messages and you’ll see the text messages in the right panel.
Step 3: Recover Your Text Messages
After the files are displayed in the right panel, click on their corresponding boxes to select a file. Once you are done with selections, click on the Recover button and a popup window will appear. Now just navigate to the folder where you want to save the recovered text messages, and click on Recover.
The best thing about this is that you don’t need technical know-how to pull this off. It is a simple, easy, and quick way to recover deleted text messages on iPhone.
The catch is that you will have to install an unfamiliar tool. If that does not appeal to you, then you should look for a method elsewhere.
Restore from iCloud Backup (Requires Factory Reset)
By now, you should be familiar with what iCloud is. You will need to know more about it since your next option is to restore from an iCloud backup.
iCloud is a place where files can be stored digitally. By storing files here, users will be able to access them as long as they have the login credentials for the appropriate Apple account. This of course allows users to backup text messages.
In order to recover deleted text messages on iPhone from an iCloud backup, you will need to have an iCloud backup prepared first.
- Go to the Settings.
- Tap on your Apple ID with your picture on it.
- Now head to iCloud > iCloud Backup. Make sure the slider for this option is green or in other words, enabled.
Now once this is turned on, the backups will be automatically created, so there’s no need to worry about that.
Now what you need to do next is to reset your phone into factory settings and all will follow. Here’s how you can do that:
- Head to Settings.
- Go to General > Reset.
- Now select Erase All Content and Settings.
- A message will appear asking if you want to Restore from iCloud Backup. Simply follow the onscreen instructions.
Once this is done, you should be able to recover deleted text messages on iPhone and access them once again.
The downside of this is that you will have to reset your phone, so some data may be lost. If you don’t want that to happen, then perhaps the next solution would be more suitable.
Retrieve Text Messages from iCloud.com
As I have said before, iCloud is a place where files can be stored digitally. Those files will then be accessible as long as you have access to the account that was used.
Now if an iCloud backup didn’t do it for you, perhaps the iCloud website, where the files are directly stored, can be of help to recover deleted text messages on iPhone.
Remember, however, that SMS may not be supported by the backup. Either way, here are the steps that you will need to take:
- On your browser, go to iCloud.com and login with the Apple ID and password that you use. It doesn’t matter whether you use a mobile device or a desktop.
- From the webpage, select Text Messages.
- Now select the messages that you would like to recover.
- Next, on your iPhone, go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud.
- Now turn off the option for Text Messages.
- A popup message will appear. Simply select Keep On My iPhone.
- Turn the Text Messages option on again.
- Once a new screen appears, select Merge.
Now the text messages that were once on the iCloud will be “merged” into your iPhone. Unfortunately, many users report that Text Messages is not available on the iCloud.com website.
If that’s the case, then it is most likely that it is not yet backed up, and trying to recover deleted text messages on iPhone using this method would be impossible. In that case, I have another method to ease your frustration.
Restore from iTunes Backup
Before, you have tried to restore from an iCloud backup. In this section, you will be learning how to restore from a backup as well, but this time it would be from iTunes.
It’s a bit different since you will need a computer to achieve this, unlike when you restored from an iCloud backup that only involves your iPhone.
Either way, to recover deleted text messages on iPhone, you will have to disable a function first, and here’s what you need to do:
- On your iPhone, open the Settings app.
- Head to Apple ID > Find My > Find My iPhone.
- Now make sure the slider for that option is turned off.
- Enter your Apple ID or password if needed.
Since Find My iPhone might interfere with the process, this will make the process go smoothly. Anyway, once that’s done, you need to follow these steps:
- Connect your iPhone into the computer with a cable.
- Open iTunes.
- Go to Summary.
- Under the Automatically Back Up section, click on Restore from Backup…
That’s pretty much how to recover deleted text messages on iPhone. However, there are cases where the backup that was restored doesn’t have the text messages that users need. In that case, you have to use the last resort.
Get Transcript from Phone Provider
Although it is not as effective as the previous four methods, you still have the option to ask the transcript of your text messages from your phone provider.
You see, users can request a printed transcript of their text messages from their phone providers, as long as a viable reason is given. As such, it is a legitimate way to recover deleted text messages on iPhone.
Unfortunately, you may find it difficult to become entitled to it. Although the least you can do is to login to your account in the phone provider’s website and ask for help. Either way, there’s nothing for you to lose.
Conclusion
There are lots of ways to recover files, but there are only a few when it comes to recovering text messages. That is why it is very valuable what you have learned here in this article about recovering text messages.
Now that you know how to recover deleted text messages on iPhone, I shouldn’t be a problem to you if you ever lose your files again. Nevertheless, you should try being more careful so you won’t delete your files ever again.
EDITOR NOTE: This is a promoted post and should not be viewed as an editorial endorsement.
