iPhone Deleted Messages by Itself? Here’s How to Recover Deleted Text Messages

“All of the texts on my iPhone randomly deleted today. I just went and opened the messages app and it was completely empty. I’ve tried signing in/out of iCloud, turning messages on/off, restarting my phone, etc. Is there any way to restore them back to my iPhone? Thanks!”

— User from Apple Communities

The above user’s experience is not a rare issue, as lots of iPhone users have encountered the same terrible situation – iPhone deleted messages by itself. Even you have tried many basic ways to troubleshoot the problem, your iPhone still keeps deleting messages.

Don’t worry about that too much, we do have workarounds for that. In the following, we will not only show you how to get back these deleted messages in 1 click but share with you a simple way to prevent this from happening.

Part 1. How to Retrieve Deleted Text Messages from iPhone in 1 Click

Actually, when the messages are deleted from iPhone, they still exist on our device. They are just marked with deletion by the system and invisible to us. That’s to say, your deleted texts can be easily got back as long as you find these hidden messages. Of course, it is limited.

It is almost impossible to find these deleted message files unless get outside help from a professional iOS data recovery tool. PhoneRescue for iOS is just a reliable yet efficient tool that can help you retrieve deleted messages with or even without backup. It is also equipped with some incomparable features:

1. World’s Top Success Rate – It has helped millions of iOS users recover all deleted or lost messages on iPhone, and is highly recommended by these users for data recovery.
2. Recover Wanted Messages only – It allows you to preview and select the deleted messages you prefer most, not all deleted ones.
3. Widest Coverage of Message Types – Including text messages, iMessage, WhatsApp messages, Line messages, SMS messages, MMS messages, message attachments, etc.
4. Recover to the Messages App or Mac/PC Directly – You can retrieve the deleted messages to the Messages app on iPhone directly for instant use, or save them to your computer in formats of PDF, TXT, or .html.
5. Recover with and without Backup – Different from traditional iTunes or iCloud recovery way, it supports previewing the backup details. Also, No blind full restore, and all data will be kept safe.
6. 60 Days Money Back Guarantee – If you failed to get back your deleted messages within 60 days of purchase, you’ll get a 100% unconditional full refund.

Method 1. How to Recover Deleted Text Messages from iTunes Backup

Since the traditional iTunes way will require erasing the existing data on iPhone, here we recommend this way to recover deleted messages from iTunes backup without data loss. Also, if you make sure that the iTunes backup you made before contains the deleted messages, then you can follow the steps below to recover them directly. Otherwise, move to Method 3 to make it.

Step 1. Download PhoneRescue for iOS on your Mac/PC > Connect your device to the computer > Choose Recover from Backup mode > Click Right Arrow to proceed.

Step 2. Select the iTunes Backup that contains the deleted messages > Click Right Arrow on the bottom right corner.

Step 3. Check Messages only > Click OK to proceed. By default, all categories will be checked, just uncheck Select All and then check Messages.

Step 4. Preview and select the messages or message attachments you want to recover > Click To Device button to get them back to the Messages app on iPhone directly, or click To Computer button to save them on your computer.

Method 2. How to Recover Deleted Text Messages from iCloud Backup

If you failed to recover the deleted messages from iTunes backup, go to your iPhone and check whether you have made an iCloud backup or not: Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Check the Last Backup date under Back Up Now button.

If you do have made an iCloud backup before, then follow the guide below to check the backup items and get back your deleted messages without blind full restoring.

Step 1. Go to Download PhoneRescue for iOS on your computer > Connect your device to the computer > Choose Recover from iCloud mode > Click Right Arrow.

Step 2. Sign in your iCloud account > Click Right Arrow.

Step 3. Select iCloud Backup > Choose the backup contains the deleted messages > Click Download button > Check Messages category only > Click OK button. If you also want to preview other iCloud files, such as photos, contacts, notes, etc. just check them at the same time.

Step 4. Preview and check the deleted messages you prefer > Click To Device button to recover them to the iPhone’s Messages app directly, or click To Computer button to export them to computer.

Method 3. How to Get Back Deleted Text Messages without Backup

If you have no available backup, don’t upset, here’s the way to retrieve deleted text messages even without any backup. Just 3 simple steps and a few minutes are needed to complete the recovery.

Step 1. Go to Download PhoneRescue for iOS on your computer > Connect your iPhone to the computer > Choose Recover from iOS Device mode > Click Right Arrow.

Step 2. Uncheck Select All button and check Messages only > Click OK to scan the deleted messages.

Step 3. Select the messages or messages attachments you want to retrieve > Click To Device button to restore the selected messages to iPhone’s Messages app directly. You can also choose to click To Mac/PC button to export them to your computer.

Part 2. How to Prevent iPhone from Deleting Text Messages by Itself

Since there’s no way for iOS users to delete all the messages at once, Apple offers an auto-delete feature to Messages. If you have turned on this feature, your iPhone will keep deleting messages automatically and regularly. So, to prevent your iPhone from deleting text messages automatically, you just need to turn off the Auto-Delete feature on iPhone.

Step 1. Go to Settings on iPhone > Choose Messages.

Step 2. Scroll down and choose Keep Messages option > Tap on Forever. In this way, it will no longer auto-delete messages on your iPhone.

The Bottom Line

With the help of PhoneRescue for iOS, your deleted messages can be easily recovered just like ABC. Also, the above steps are also available to recover deleted photos, contacts, notes, ringtones as well as other up to 31+ iOS file types. So, give it a try now so that you can get back deleted files immediately before overwriting.