Retrieve Deleted Text Messages from an iPhone
Retrieving a deleted text message from your iPhone can be difficult, but it is possible. If you have a previous backup saved with iTunes or your iCloud, you can use that. Otherwise, you will need to use a third party program and restore the deleted message from your iPhone to your computer. Keep reading to learn more about each method.
Contents
Steps
Using iTunes Backup
- Disable automatic syncing in iTunes. Open iTunes on your computer. Prevent the program from automatically synching with your iPhone by going to the Edit menu, and then to Settings. When that window opens, choose Devices and check the box next to the option stating, "Prevent iPods, iPhones, and iPads from syncing automatically."
- If you do not disable automatic syncing, your iPhone and iTunes will begin the syncing process as soon as you connect the phone to your computer. If this happens, it may interfere with the backup restore.
- Connect your iPhone to your computer. Use a USB plug to connect your iPhone to your computer. Give your computer a few moments to recognize the new device before pressing forward.
- Generally, any iPhone bought new or from a reliable source should come with a USB cord. It will be the same cord used for your wall charger. Pull the wall connector part off of the actual USB cord to use it with your computer.
- Restore the iPhone from a backup. The simplest way to do this is by going to the File menu on iTunes and selecting Devices. From there, choose the "Restore from Back up" option.
- Alternatively, you can open the iPhone's Summary tab by clicking the device button in the upper right corner or by clicking the View menu and choosing Show Sidebar (when the sidebar appears, select your iPhone in the sidebar under the "Devices" heading). After th Summary tab is open, click on the "Restore Backup" button in iTunes.
- If you are using iTunes 10.7 or earlier, right-click or control-click the device in your sidebar and choose the "Restore from Backup" option from the pop-up menu.
- Note that this will only work if you have previously backed up your iPhone with iTunes.
- Allow the content to download onto your iPhone. This could take several minutes to complete. When done, your iPhone will be restored to the older version.
- Note that doing this will cause any data you have added to your iPhone since your last backup to be erased.
Using iCloud
- Erase your iPhone. You can do this by going to the Settings menu and selecting General. From there, choose Reset and Erase All Content and Settings.
- This will erase all the content on your iPhone. It will be replaced by the backup version stored in the iCloud. Any data saved on your iPhone since your last backup will be lost when you do this.
- Select the "Restore from iCloud Backup" option. After erasing your iPhone, the device should prompt you to either set it up as a new phone or to restore it from a previous backup. At this screen, select "Restore from iCloud Backup."
- You will be prompted to enter your AppleID and password. Do so when requested to begin the restoration process.
- Note that this will only work if you have previously Manually-Back-up-Your-iPhone-to-iCloud.
- Allow the content to download onto your iPhone. Your iPhone will restart itself and the backup data will be restored to your phone from the iCloud. This could take several minutes to complete.
- Your settings an accounts are restored first. Afterward, any purchased music, TV shows, apps, books, Camera Roll, or other content (including your text messages) will be restored.
- Leave your iPhone connected to a power source while the data is restored. Doing so can save your battery.
- You might need to input your Apple ID and passwords a few times while your account are re-enabled.
- Check if the restore is complete by going to Settings and iCloud. From there, select Storage and Backup.
Using Third Party Software
- Download, install, and open data recovery software. Search for iPhone data recovery software online and go to the manufacturer's website to download it. After downloading the setup file, run it and follow the on-screen instructions to install the new program onto your computer.
- Open the new software once your computer finishes installing it.
- Note that this is really your only viable option if you have never backed up your iPhone in the past.
- There are a range of options available, but unfortunately, most cost money for the full version. You might be able to download a free trial version, however.
- Connect your iPhone to your computer. Use a USB plug to connect your iPhone to your computer. Make sure that your computer recognizes the new device before continuing.
- If you bought your iPhone new or from a reputable source, it should have come with a USB cord. This cord may be one in the same with your wall charger. If so, all you need to do is pull apart the wall connector part from the actual USB cord.
- Send your iPhone into DFU Mode. DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode will completely shut your phone down and prepare it for a data restore.
- Hold down the "Home" and "Power" button on your iPhone simultaneously. You will need to do so for roughly 10 seconds.
- Release the "Power" button but continue to hold down the "Home" button for an additional 10 seconds. When done, the Apple logo screen should appear.
- Scan your iPhone. Some data recovery programs will begin scanning your iPhone immediately. If this does not happen, however, you can trigger a manual scan by clicking on the "Start Scan" button within the open data recovery software on your computer.
- Some software will search for text messages only. Others will search for all data.
- Even when you delete text messages from your iPhone, they do not disappear completely. Your means of accessing the data is erased, but the data itself is still lying dormant in your iPhone. These programs can scan your iPhone, find the missing data, and allow you to access it.
- Note that this process can take several seconds to several minutes to complete depending on how much data the software has to sift through.
- Select and recover deleted texts. The data recovery program on your computer should produce a list of deleted iPhone text messages found on your device. Select the checkbox next to each text you want to restore, and when done, click on the "Recover" button in the lower corner of the screen.
- After clicking on this button, you will be asked to choose a location on your computer to restore these files to. You will not be able to restore the files to your iPhone.
- Most of these programs will also allow you to individually preview the text messages before restoring them, so you can be sure that the texts you retrieve are the ones you need.
- Allow the content to download. After a couple of minutes, the program should transfer the texts from your iPhone to the designated location on your computer. You should be able to view them with no problem from there.
- When done, eject your iPhone from your computer. Exit DFU mode by holding the "Home" and "Power" buttons down simultaneously until the Apple logo appears.
Combining Third Party Software and an iTunes Backup
- Download, install, and open data recovery software. You can find iPhone data recovery software online. Once you choose a promising program, go to the manufacturer's website to download the setup file. Run this file and follow the on-screen instructions to install the program on you computer.
- Note that most recovery software that works without an iTunes backup will also work with an iTunes backup.
- Open the new software once your computer finishes installing it.
- There are a range of options available, but unfortunately, most cost money for the full version. You might be able to download a free trial version, however.
- Scan for an iPhone backup file. After opening the data recovery software, it should immediately detect the iTunes backup file on your computer that corresponds to your iPhone. Select it and click on the "Scan" or "Start Scan" button in the interface.
- Understand that this will only work if you have a previous iTunes backup for your iPhone stored on your computer.
- Note that these programs should be able to detect the latest iTunes backup file on your computer. You should not need to connect your iPhone to the computer.
- If multiple backup files are found, make sure that you select the right one.
- Select and recover deleted texts. After performing the scan, the software should display a window of found recovery data. Select the checkboxes next to the text messages you want to restore and click on the "Recover" button.
- After clicking on this button, you will be asked to choose a location on your computer for the backup data to be copied to.
- The data found may include only text messages or a combination of text messages and other data.
- You can usually preview a text message before choosing to restore it.
- Allow the content to download. When finished, the messages you specified should be restored with the body of the message intact and other message-specific information, like the phone numbers involved and the date and time sent.
Recovering contacts using Messages app
- Tap on messages icon.
- When the window opens, click on 'New message' icon.
- Now in the 'New message' window in the 'To' field type the name of the contact that was deleted from your phone book,
- Most probably the contact info will pop even if it is not in your phone book.
Tips
- You should periodically back up your iPhone using iCloud or iTunes to make it easier to access your old data if it ever gets lost or deleted from your iPhone.
Things You'll Need
- iPhone
- USB cable
- Computer with iTunes installed (All the iPhone data recovery software need iTunes to recognize iPhone or other iOS devices. Although when the software is running, you can not run the iTunes.)
- Data recovery software
