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URL: https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/recover-deleted-messages-iph16ecebf48/ios

⇱ Recover deleted messages in Messages on iPhone - Apple Support

iOS 26

iOS 18

iOS 17

iOS 16

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Table of Contents

Welcome
- Setup basics
- Make your iPhone your own
- Take great photos and videos
- Keep in touch with friends and family
- Share features with your family
- Use iPhone for your daily routines
- Expert advice from Apple Support
What’s new in iOS 26
- Turn on and set up iPhone
- Wake, unlock, and lock
- Set up cellular service
- View or change cellular data settings
- Use Dual SIM
- Connect to the internet
- Find settings
- Set up mail, contacts, and calendar accounts
- Learn the meaning of iPhone status icons
- - Learn basic gestures
  - Learn gestures for iPhone models with Face ID
- Adjust the volume
- Turn the iPhone flashlight on or off
- Silence iPhone
- Multitask with Picture in Picture
- Access features from the Lock Screen
- View Live Activities in the Dynamic Island
- Perform quick actions
- Search on iPhone
- Get information about your iPhone
- Manage storage on iPhone
- Travel with iPhone
- Change sounds and vibrations
- Use and customize the Action button
- Create a custom Lock Screen
- Change the wallpaper
- Use and customize Control Center
- Record audio and video
- Adjust the screen brightness and color balance
- Keep the iPhone display on longer
- Use StandBy
- Adjust iPhone display and text settings
- Change the name of your iPhone
- Change the date and time
- Change the language and region
- Change the default apps
- Change your default search engine
- Rotate your iPhone screen
- Customize sharing options
- Add or change keyboards
- Add emoji, Memoji, and stickers
- - Write and draw in documents
  - Add text, shapes, stickers, and more
- Fill out forms, sign documents, and create signatures
- Interact with content in a photo or video
- Identify objects in your photos and videos
- Lift a subject from the photo background
- Use the Camera Control
- Use the Camera Control to open another app
- Adjust the shutter volume
- Adjust HDR camera settings
- Record a video
- Take spatial photos and record spatial videos for Apple Vision Pro
- Change sound recording options
- Record ProRes video
- Record video in Cinematic mode
- Change video recording settings
- Save camera settings
- Customize the Main camera lens
- Change advanced camera settings
- View, share, and print photos
- Use Live Text
- Scan a QR code
- - Get apps
  - Use App Clips
  - Update apps
  - Install and manage fonts
  - Share and send apps
  - See your purchases and subscriptions
  - Change settings and restrictions
- - Buy books and audiobooks
  - Read books
  - Annotate books
  - Access books on other Apple devices
  - Listen to audiobooks
  - Set reading goals
  - Organize books
  - Read PDFs
- - Get started with Calculator
  - Use the basic calculator
  - Use the scientific calculator
  - Solve math with Math Notes
  - Work with graphs in Math Notes
  - Convert units or currency
  - See previous calculations
- - Create and edit events in Calendar
  - Send invitations
  - Reply to invitations
  - Change how you view events
  - Search for events
  - Change Calendar settings
  - Schedule or display events in a different time zone
  - Keep track of events
  - Use multiple calendars
  - Use reminders
  - Use the Holidays calendar
  - Share iCloud calendars
- - See the world clock
  - Set an alarm
  - Change your wake up alarm
  - Use the stopwatch
  - Set timers
- Compass
- - Add and use contact information
  - Edit contacts
  - Add your contact info
  - Add or remove accounts
  - Use NameDrop on iPhone to share your contact info
  - Use contacts from the Phone app
  - Merge or hide duplicate contacts
  - Sync contacts across devices
  - Import contacts
  - Export contacts
- - Get started with FaceTime
  - Create a FaceTime link
  - Use FaceTime audio call tools
  - Take a Live Photo
  - Use Live Captions
  - Use other apps during a call
  - Make a Group FaceTime call
  - Use SharePlay to watch, listen, and play together
  - Share your screen in a FaceTime call
  - Request or give remote control in a FaceTime call
  - Collaborate on a document in FaceTime
  - Use video conferencing features
  - Hand off a FaceTime call to another Apple device
  - Change the FaceTime video settings
  - Change the FaceTime audio settings
  - Leave a call or switch to Messages
  - Block a FaceTime call and report it as spam
  - Screen and filter calls
- - Files basics
  - Modify files and folders
  - Find and view files and folders
  - Find your downloaded files on iPhone
  - Organize files and folders
  - Send files from the Files app
  - Set up iCloud Drive
  - Share files and folders in iCloud Drive
  - Transfer files from iPhone to a storage device, a server, or the cloud
- - Adjust map settings
  - Turn off Find My
- - Get started with Fitness
  - See your activity summary
  - Adjust your Activity ring goals
  - Sync a third-party workout app
  - Change Fitness settings
  - Share your activity
- - Get started with Freeform
  - Create a Freeform board
  - Search Freeform boards
  - Delete and recover boards
  - Subscribe to Apple Creator Studio
  - Change Freeform settings
- - Get started with the Apple Games app
  - Set up your Game Center profile
  - Find and download games
  - Subscribe to Apple Arcade
  - Connect with friends in the Apple Games app
  - Play with friends in the Apple Games app
  - Manage your game library
  - Connect a game controller
  - Change game-related settings
  - Report a problem with a game
- - Get started with Health
  - Fill out your Health Details
  - - Download health records
    - View health records
  - Monitor your walking steadiness
  - - Track your medications
    - Learn more about your medications
  - - Log your state of mind
    - Take a mental health assessment
  - - Check your headphone audio levels
    - Use hearing health features
  - Register as an organ donor
  - Back up your Health data
- - Intro to Home
  - Upgrade to the new version of Apple Home
  - Set up accessories
  - Control accessories
  - Use Grid Forecast to plan your energy usage
  - View electricity usage and rates
  - Adaptive Temperature and Clean Energy Guidance
  - Set up HomePod
  - Control your home remotely
  - Create and use scenes
  - Use automations
  - Set up security cameras
  - Use Face Recognition
  - Unlock your door with a home key on iPhone or Apple Watch
  - Configure a router
  - Invite others to control accessories
  - Add more homes
- - Get music
  - Get ringtones
  - Manage purchases and settings
- - Get started
  - Write in your journal
  - Edit or delete an entry
  - Add formatting, photos, and more
  - Journal for your wellbeing
  - Build a journaling habit
  - View and search journal entries
  - Print and export entries
  - Protect your journal entries
  - Change Journal settings
- - Magnify or describe things around you
  - Customize controls
- - - Add and remove email accounts
    - Set up a custom email domain
  - Check your email
  - Use categories
  - Automatically clean up iCloud Mail
  - Set email notifications
  - Search for email
  - Organize email in mailboxes
  - Use iCloud Mail rules to automatically apply actions to emails
  - - Flag or block emails
    - Filter emails
  - - Use Hide My Email
    - Use Mail Privacy Protection
  - Change Mail settings
  - Delete and recover emails
  - Add a Mail widget to your Home Screen
  - Print emails
- - Get started with Maps
  - Set your location and map view
  - - Explore 3D maps
    - Look around places
  - Clear location history
  - Delete recent directions
  - Report an issue with Maps
- - Measure dimensions
  - View and save measurements
  - Measure a person’s height
  - Use the level
- - Get started with Messages
  - Set up Messages
  - About iMessage
  - Send and reply to messages
  - Text via satellite
  - Schedule a text message to send later
  - Unsend and edit messages
  - Keep track of messages
  - Search
  - Forward and share messages
  - Group conversations
  - Share screens
  - Collaborate on projects
  - Add backgrounds
  - Use iMessage apps
  - Poll people in a conversation
  - Take and edit photos or videos
  - Share photos, links, and more
  - Send stickers
  - Create and send Memoji
  - React with Tapbacks
  - Format text and animate messages
  - Draw and handwrite messages
  - Send and save GIFs
  - Send and receive audio messages
  - Share your location
  - Turn read receipts on or off
  - Stop, mute, and change notifications
  - Screen and filter texts
  - Report spam and block senders
  - Delete messages and attachments
  - Recover deleted messages
- - Get started with Music
  - Get music
- - Get started with News
  - Get News notifications and newsletters
  - Use News widgets
  - See news stories chosen just for you
  - Read and share stories
  - Read local news
  - Follow your favorite teams with My Sports
  - Listen to Apple News Today
  - Search for channels, topics, stories, or recipes
  - Save stories
  - Clear your reading history
  - Subscribe to individual news channels
- - Get started with Notes
  - Create and format notes
  - Use Quick Notes
  - Add drawings and handwriting
  - Enter formulas and equations
  - Add photos, video, and more
  - Record and transcribe audio
  - Scan text and documents
  - Work with PDFs
  - Add links
  - Search notes
  - Organize in folders
  - Organize with tags
  - Use Smart Folders
  - Share and collaborate
  - Export or print notes
  - Lock notes
  - Delete and recover notes
  - Add or remove accounts
  - Change the Notes view
  - Change Notes settings
- - Use passwords
  - Find your password for a website or app
  - Change the password for a website or app
  - Remove a password
  - Recover a deleted password
  - Create a password for a website or app
  - Show passwords in large text
  - Use passkeys to sign in to websites and apps
  - Sign in with Apple
  - Share passwords
  - Automatically fill in strong passwords
  - See websites excluded from AutoFill
  - Change weak or compromised passwords
  - View your passwords and related information
  - View password history
  - Find and share your Wi-Fi password
  - Share passwords securely with AirDrop
  - Make your passwords available on all your devices
  - Automatically fill in verification codes
  - Automatically fill in SMS passcodes
  - Sign in with fewer CAPTCHA challenges
  - Use two-factor authentication
  - Use security keys
  - See your Mac FileVault recovery key
  - - Import passwords
    - Export passwords
- - Make a call
  - Record and transcribe a call
  - Change your Phone settings
  - View and delete the call history
  - Answer or decline incoming calls
  - While on a call
  - Share screens during a phone call
  - Request or give remote control in a Phone call
  - Have a conference or three-way call
  - Set up Voicemail
  - Check voicemail
  - Change voicemail greeting and settings
  - Select ringtones
  - Make calls using Wi-Fi
  - Set up call forwarding
  - Set up call waiting
  - Screen and block calls
- - Get started with Photos
  - Browse your photo library
  - Browse your photo collections
  - View photos and videos
  - See photo and video information
  - - Find photos and videos by date
    - Find and name people and pets
    - Find group photos and videos
    - Browse photos and videos by location
    - Find recently saved photos and videos
    - Find your travel photos and videos
    - Find receipts, QR codes, recently edited photos, and more
    - Locate photos and videos by media type
  - Sort and filter the photo library
  - Back up and sync your photos and videos with iCloud
  - Delete or hide photos and videos
  - Search for photos and videos
  - Get wallpaper suggestions
  - - View your memories
    - Play memory movies
    - Share or delete memories
    - Personalize your memory movies
    - Make slideshows
  - - Create and work with photo albums
    - Add, delete, and find photos and videos in albums
    - Filter and sort photos and videos in albums
  - - Share photos and videos
    - Share long videos
    - Create shared albums
    - Add and remove people in a shared album
    - Add and delete photos and videos in a shared album
    - Set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library
    - Use iCloud Shared Photo Library
    - Add content to an iCloud Shared Photo Library
  - - Edit photos and videos
    - Crop, rotate, flip, or straighten photos and videos
    - Undo and revert photo edits
    - Trim video length, adjust speed, and edit audio
    - Edit Cinematic mode videos
    - Edit Live Photos
    - Edit Portrait mode photos
  - Hide people, memories, and holidays
  - Make stickers from your photos
  - Duplicate and copy photos and videos
  - Merge duplicate photos and videos
  - Import and export photos and videos
  - Print photos
- - Get started with Podcasts on iPhone
  - Find podcasts
  - Watch and listen to podcasts
  - View podcast transcripts
  - Follow your favorite podcasts
  - Rate or review podcasts
  - Use the Podcasts widget
  - Select your favorite Podcasts categories and channels
  - Organize your podcast library
  - Download, save, remove, and share podcasts
  - Subscribe to podcasts
  - Listen to subscriber-only content
  - Change download settings
- - Get started with Preview on iPhone
  - - Open and view PDFs and images
    - Interact with text in an image
  - Edit an image
  - Reply to an email with a PDF attachment
  - Scan text and documents
  - Create an image
  - Share PDFs or images
  - Print PDFs or images
- - Get started with Reminders
  - Create reminders
  - Make a grocery list
  - Add details
  - Complete items
  - Delete and recover reminders
  - Edit and organize a list
  - Search your lists
  - Organize multiple lists
  - Tag items
  - Use Smart Lists
  - Share and collaborate
  - Print a list
  - Work with templates
  - Add or remove accounts
  - Change Reminders settings
- - Get started with Safari
  - Browse the web
  - Search for websites
  - See highlights
  - Customize your Safari settings
  - Change the layout
  - Create multiple Safari profiles
  - - Open and close tabs
    - Organize your tabs with Tab Groups
    - View your tabs from another Apple device
    - Share Tab Groups
  - Listen to a webpage
  - Bookmark a website
  - Open as Web App
  - Save pages to a Reading List
  - Find links shared with you
  - Download a PDF
  - Annotate and save a webpage as a PDF
  - Fill in forms
  - Get extensions
  - - Hide distractions when browsing
    - Hide distractions when reading
    - Block pop-ups
  - Clear your cache and cookies
  - Enable cookies
  - - Hide recent searches
    - Browse the web privately
    - Sign in with passkeys in Safari
    - Use Hide My Email
    - Get HTTP website warnings
    - Digital certificates and encrypted websites
    - Verify website encryption
  - - Import browser data into Safari
    - Export Safari data to another browser
- Shortcuts
- - Check stocks
  - Manage multiple watchlists
  - Read or listen to business news
  - Add earnings reports to your calendar
  - Use a Stocks widget
- Tips
- - Translate text, voice, and conversations
  - Translate text in apps
  - Translate with the camera view
  - Change your Translate settings
- - Subscribe to Apple TV or a channel
  - Start watching and control playback
  - Find shows, movies, and more
  - Personalize the Home tab
  - Buy, rent, or pre-order items
  - Manage your library
  - Add your TV provider
  - Change the settings
- - Make a recording
  - View a transcription
  - Play it back
  - Add a second layer to a recording
  - Export a recording to Files
  - Edit or delete a recording
  - Keep recordings up to date
  - Organize recordings
  - Search for or rename a recording
  - Share a recording
  - Duplicate a recording
- - About Apple Wallet
  - Set up Apple Pay
  - Use Apple Pay for contactless payments
  - Use Apple Pay in apps and on the web
  - Use Apple Cash
  - Use Apple Card
  - Add your ID
  - Pay for transit
  - Use digital keys
  - Use passes, loyalty cards, tickets, and more
  - Check your Apple Account balance
  - Organize and search in Wallet
  - Remove cards and passes
  - Fill in payment information
  - Change Wallet & Apple Pay settings
- - Check the weather
  - Check the weather in other locations
  - View weather maps
  - Manage weather notifications
  - Use Weather widgets
  - Learn the weather icons
- How to use Siri
- Turn on and activate Siri
- Intro to Apple Intelligence
- Translate messages, calls, and conversations
- Use visual intelligence
- Create original images with Image Playground
- Create your own emoji with Genmoji
- Use Image Wand with Apple Intelligence
- Use Apple Intelligence with Siri
- Find the right words with Writing Tools
- Use ChatGPT with Apple Intelligence
- Summarize notifications and reduce interruptions
- Apple Intelligence and privacy
- Block access to Apple Intelligence features
- Contact emergency services
- Set up and view your Medical ID
- Use Emergency SOS via satellite
- Request Roadside Assistance via satellite
- Use Check In
- Manage Crash Detection
- Reset privacy and security settings in an emergency
- Set up Family Sharing
- Add Family Sharing members
- Remove Family Sharing members
- Share subscriptions
- Share purchases
- Share locations with family and locate lost devices
- Set up Apple Cash Family and Apple Card Family
- Set up parental controls
- Set up a child’s device
- Share age ranges with apps
- Get started with Screen Time
- Protect your vision health with Screen Distance
- Create, manage, and keep track of a Screen Time passcode
- Set schedules with Screen Time
- Block apps, app downloads, websites, and purchases
- Block calls and messages with Screen Time
- Check for sensitive images and videos
- Set up Screen Time for a child
- Respond to a Screen Time request
- Charging cable
- Power adapters
- MagSafe chargers and battery packs
- Qi-certified wireless chargers
- - Use AirPods
  - Use EarPods
- Apple Watch
- - Wirelessly stream videos and photos to Apple TV 4K or a smart TV
  - Connect to a display with a cable
- HomePod and other wireless speakers
- External storage devices
- Connect Bluetooth accessories
- Play audio from your iPhone on a Bluetooth accessory
- Printers
- Intro to Continuity
- Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
- Hand off tasks between devices
- Control your iPhone from your Mac
- Copy and paste between devices
- Stream video and audio from your iPhone
- Allow phone calls and text messages on your iPad and Mac
- Share your internet connection
- Use iPhone as a webcam
- Insert sketches, photos, and scans on Mac
- Start SharePlay instantly
- Connect iPhone and your computer with a cable
- Transfer files between devices
- Intro to CarPlay
- Connect to CarPlay
- Use your vehicle’s built-in controls
- Get turn-by-turn directions
- Report traffic incidents
- Change the map view
- View Live Activities
- Customize widgets
- Make phone calls
- Play music
- View your calendar
- Send and receive text messages
- Announce incoming text messages
- Play podcasts
- Play audiobooks
- Listen to news stories
- Control your home
- Use other apps with CarPlay
- Rearrange icons on CarPlay Home
- Change settings in CarPlay
- Get started with accessibility features
- Use accessibility features during setup
- Change Siri accessibility settings
- Quickly turn accessibility features on or off
- Share your Accessibility settings with another device
- - Overview of cognitive accessibility features
  - Lock iPhone to one app
- Control what you share
- Turn on Lock Screen features
- Block contacts
- Keep your Apple Account secure
- Create and manage Hide My Email addresses
- Protect your web browsing with iCloud Private Relay
- Use a private network address
- Use Advanced Data Protection
- Use Lockdown Mode
- Install Background Security Improvements
- Use Stolen Device Protection
- Receive warnings about sensitive content
- Use Contact Key Verification
- Turn iPhone on or off
- Force restart iPhone
- Update iOS
- Back up iPhone
- Reset iPhone settings
- Erase iPhone
- Restore all content from a backup
- Restore purchased and deleted items
- Sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone
- Install or remove configuration profiles
- Important safety information
- Important handling information
- Find more resources for software and service
- FCC compliance statement
- ISED Canada compliance statement
- Ultra Wideband information
- Class 1 Laser information
- Apple and the environment
- Disposal and recycling information
- Unauthorized modification of iOS
Copyright and trademarks

Recover deleted messages in Messages on iPhone

You can recover deleted text messages you deleted on your iPhone.

You can restore messages you deleted for up to 30 days.

👁 Recovering all messages deleted within two conversations.

Go to the Messages app 👁 Image
on your iPhone.
Tap 👁 the Filter button
at the top of the conversation list, then tap Recently Deleted.
Select the conversations whose messages you want to restore, then tap Recover.
Tap Recover Messages.

If you use Messages in iCloud, recovering a message or conversation on your iPhone recovers it on all your devices where Messages in iCloud is turned on. See Keep your messages up to date with iCloud in the iCloud User Guide.

Note: Deleting and recovering messages only affects your iPhone and other Apple devices where you’re signed in to the same Apple Account. You can’t recover messages, attachments, and conversations for anyone else.

Once you recover a blocked conversation whose participants haven’t all turned on iMessage, incoming messages are no longer automatically deleted.

Any message that you remove from a conversation using Undo Send is permanently deleted. Audio messages that expire before being saved aren’t recoverable. See Send and receive audio messages.

See alsoDelete messages and attachments in Messages on iPhone Screen and filter text messages on iPhone Automatically delete one-time verification codes Apple Support article: Recover deleted text messages on your iPhone or iPad