HT201252: Use iTunes on your Mac or PC to restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings

Learn about Use iTunes on your Mac or PC to restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings
heidilew
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: How do I recover old imessage messages that have not been deleted?

I have not deleted any messages, but older ones are not showing up. Is there a way to get these back? Working on a Macbook Pro

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Apr 18, 2015 2:31 PM

Close
heidilew

Q: How do I recover old imessage messages that have not been deleted?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Apr 18, 2015 3:11 PM in response to heidilew
    Level 10 (207,931 points)
    Applications
    Apr 18, 2015 3:11 PM in response to heidilew

    You can only restore the whole message database, not individual messages or conversations. This procedure will replace the database with an earlier version, so you'll lose all later changes.

    Sign out of iMessage and all other IM accounts, if any. Quit Messages. Hold down the option key and select

              Go ▹ Library

    from the Finder menu bar. A folder window will open.

    Restore the subfolder named "Messages" from a backup that predates the unwanted changes, then log out and log back in.

    If you're running OS X 10.9 or later, also restore the subfolder Containers/com.apple.iChat.

    If you don't have a backup, the archive can't be restored.