Can I get a message thread back after I accidentally deleted it?

Yes. You may restore an iOS backup that you created while the message thread existed. You will retrieve the message thread and other data as it was when you created the backup.

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support

Hello,

I too have the same problem. I looked a bit further and found out that if I backed up that I could restore the message thread.

My question is, do I have to restore my whole phone for just one text message??

It appears I have to restore the whole phone??

Sounds like a lot of data copying of 53 gb of files when I only need one message.

I may have to disable my iCloud backup also which may overwrite the data. Right??

Seems like a shotgun process for such a refined system such as Apple.

I at this moment have my computer which still has the message thread, I am looking at it right now.

Hopefully I do not screw this up.

Respectfully,

Warp_9 wrote:

I at this moment have my computer which still has the message thread, I am looking at it right now.

Looking at what exactly? The date and time of your most recent iPhone backup to iTunes? If not that, then how can you be "looking at it right now"???

Yes, you must restore the entire backup. It's all or nothing regarding the restore.

sberman,

Yes I realize the restore, is an all or nothing.

By the way, I was looking at the messaging thread on my mac mini, which was, in its entirety still there, Just not on my iPhone, since that is where I deleted it. I just checked right now and still find the messaging thread on my mac mini. Looks like it goes back about 1 year.

So I can only assume that since I did not auto sync with the cloud last night ( I turned off iCloud backup on my iPhone) that is what saved the data on the iCloud and perhaps why I still see the data on my Mac Mini??

Also I was snooping around on the internet last evening and it appears that there are indeed programs out there that DO allow you to see what you have deleted. I actually ran a trial of one program and it showed the deleted messages actually still on my iPhone. (I was looking at data on the phone not the iCloud service) Seems like if some of the data is actually still there on the phone and I am wondering why it takes such a huge effort to restore in its entirety the whole iPhone data when I just need the piece that seems to already be on the phone. I even found a much older message thread that I would have liked to have as well using the same trial program. Amazing that the data is still on the iPhone!!

Do you have any thoughts on those "for sale" programs, or do you believe Apple would eventually allow an easy restoration of a iMessage thread if accidentally erased in the future??

Respectfully,

Paul

Separate copies of your messages are saved on your Apple devices. At this time, no messages are saved in iCloud, except those that are saved in an iOS backup that is housed in iCloud.

I would not rely on any product that claims to snoop on space on an iOS device to perform recovery.

If I owned Apple outright, I personally would never allow messages to be separately recovered in any way other than today’s methods. Personally, I would much rather see future technology development done in what I consider more important and useful features.

sberman,

Agreed, I really do not wish to rely on a 3rd party to tinker with the phone. Allbeit I probably already have. It was the old windows user coming out in me. I love my Mac and I-equipment very much. Changed over about 2 years ago now and am happy the way it plays together.

Anyways I will indeed use your link to restore my iPhone since I would only loose a days worth of items. Then I will try to keep my FAT stubby fingers off the delete button. Maybe there is a way to have the delete go to a confirm screen first? I will look into the setup if iMessage to see.

Thank you for your response and thoughts. Have a great weekend!

Respectfully,

Paul

Well, honestly you can't really "accidentally" delete a message. You may have mistakenly done it, but not accidentally. Before the newest iOS it was a two step process you had to consciously go through. Now it is a 3-step, annoying process. As others have said, the only way to retrieve it is if you have a backup.