You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

How to recover old messages

How do I recover old messages?

iPhone 8, iOS 13

Posted on Oct 11, 2020 6:07 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 11, 2020 6:13 AM

Delete a message or conversation

When you delete a message or conversation, you can't get it back. So make sure that you save important information from your messages.


Though restore from iTunes backup is an option but you need to restore the entire iPhone (only messages restoration option does not exists) including all apps, Photos, Videos, Voice Memos, Notes on your iPhone etc...


The question is when did you backup on iTunes and when did you delete...Read on...


Let us assume...

Date1 : Backup date

Date2 : Message Deletion Date

Date3 : Current Date / Restoration Date


Given that --> Date1 < Date2 < Date3 

Risk of restoring on Date3: You may lose data between the Date1 & Date 3

Mitigation: Create Multiple backup on iTunes for the same device. (By default iTunes creates incremental backup over the existing backup such that you only will have one backup per device on iTunes)


How to create Multiple Backup for the same device.

  1. On iTunes Click on Manage Backups
  2. Right Click on a Backup and Click Archive
  3. Click Backup Now.
  4. You will see a fresh backup will get created See the GIF below



  1. Restore from Backup dated Date1 (Archived)
  2. Retrieve the message and store it separately
  3. Restore from Current Backup Date3

 


1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 11, 2020 6:13 AM in response to Jas7112

Delete a message or conversation

When you delete a message or conversation, you can't get it back. So make sure that you save important information from your messages.


Though restore from iTunes backup is an option but you need to restore the entire iPhone (only messages restoration option does not exists) including all apps, Photos, Videos, Voice Memos, Notes on your iPhone etc...


The question is when did you backup on iTunes and when did you delete...Read on...


Let us assume...

Date1 : Backup date

Date2 : Message Deletion Date

Date3 : Current Date / Restoration Date


Given that --> Date1 < Date2 < Date3 

Risk of restoring on Date3: You may lose data between the Date1 & Date 3

Mitigation: Create Multiple backup on iTunes for the same device. (By default iTunes creates incremental backup over the existing backup such that you only will have one backup per device on iTunes)


How to create Multiple Backup for the same device.

  1. On iTunes Click on Manage Backups
  2. Right Click on a Backup and Click Archive
  3. Click Backup Now.
  4. You will see a fresh backup will get created See the GIF below



  1. Restore from Backup dated Date1 (Archived)
  2. Retrieve the message and store it separately
  3. Restore from Current Backup Date3

 


How to recover old messages

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.