How to retrieve deleted texts

Messages stores deleted messages for 30 days. After that they are automatically deleted.

Tap to open Messages

Tap on Edit in the upper left hand corner

Tap Show Recently Deleted

If the message(s) were deleted within the last 30 days, they will appear and you can restore them.

If the messages you are looking for do not appear, they were deleted more than 30 days ago, so they are gone.

If Edit does not appear, you have no current deleted messages.

If it was deleted recently, tap the Edit button at the top of your message page, then Show Recently Deleted. If it's there you can retrieve it. If it's not, you can't.

Good news!