How to Recover Deleted Text Messages on Android and iPhone

Recovering deleted text messages is not a simple task but may be possible if you have proper backups set in place early on. Many advertised software claims to get the deleted data, but few do. The best option will always be backups.

Backup systems can range from Google Drive, iCloud, Carrier company’s cloud to specific phone company’s cloud storage.

How to Recover Deleted Text Messages From Backups:

Carrier Back Ups

Major carriers like Verizon and AT & T provide cloud backup storage for their users.

Verizon Content Restore

Tons of people use Verizon cloud backup. You may use the free contact-only Backup or have a storage plan in place. If you do, you can restore the text messaging content to the phone

1. From the Home screen, tap the Apps icon.
2. If an apps icon doesn’t show up on your device, swipe up or down from a home screen to access all apps
3. Select the Verizon Cloud Icon
4. Select the navigation menu icon on the upper left side
5. Tap the settings icon on the upper right-hand side
6. Select Tools
7. Select Content restore
8. Select any of the media options and click on Restore on the upper right side
9. Select the 90 days or 3 months option and select OK

Note: Messages and call logs can’t be backed up from or restored to iOS devices

AT &T Message Backup & Sync

AT&T has its own AT&T messaging app, including AT&T message backup & Sync. To download messages stored in the AT&T cloud From AT&T Messages Backup & Sync, use the following steps:

1. Select Settings
2.  Go to AT&T Messages Backup & Sync
3.  Sync messages to your smartphone.

This message backup only works for certain android devices. This process will not work on IOS.

Check Sim Storage of Your Android Phone

Sim cards hold very little memory in them but do hold some messages. There is no guarantee that the exact deleted message you are looking for is present there, but it’s worth a shot.

1. Select Settings on your device
2. Go to apps
3. Select system settings
4. Go to your messaging app
5. Go to additional settings find sim storage

Restore from Google Drive for Android

We suggest always backing up your whole device in google drive. If you lose any messages or anything else, everything can be restored all at once. Trying to restore specifically would need a third-party app using the BackupBackup of google drive as storage.

Follow the steps below to restore the Backup fully:

1. Factory reset the device 
2. Sign in to google
3. Agree to the terms and conditions of google
4. An option will show regarding Backup to restore
5. Select your backup file
6. You will get an option to tick which things to restore
7. Select Restore

 Restore From ICloud for Ios

1. Factory reset the device first
2. As the phone begins to set up your details after the reset
3. Select Restore from iCloud Backup when you reach to apps and data
4. Enter your Apple ID, which you used to back up in iCloud
5. Enter passcode 
6. A list will show up; choose the one with the latest backup date
7. Restore should start
8. When the Restore is finished, the iPhone will reboot.

Can You Retrieve Deleted Messages From Social Media?

There are plenty of videos in the media regarding deleted messages retrieval for Instagram, Snapchat, WhatsApp. Most of them suggest full profile data downloads and archive processes.

Please understand that these things will not work. Archives hide messages from inbox, and data downloads will give you the full profile data without the deleted data. 

If you have only deleted the specific message for yourself, the recipient will still have the copy. If the message is deleted from everyone, you will not get it back.

Do We Need to Back Up Social Media?

The best way to backup facebook is to download your total Facebook data from Facebook and keep it stored safely, preferably in cloud drives.

You can view the contents via a browser or HTML viewers except for WhatsApp, where you can back up chats within the app itself.

How to Protect Your Text Messages in the Future?

Have Sources of Backup Set Up Early On

The best way to make sure you don’t lose your message or any file in the future is to back them up early on. The best method has to be Google for android and iCloud option for IOS. These cloud options provide free storage, and you can buy more if need be.

Google Drive Backup

Google Drive is a cloud storage service that can be accessed anywhere provided you have the appropriate logins. The great thing about it is that you get to store files here; hence, back-ups can be set up here. Let’s learn how to do it:

For Android

1. Go to the “settings” menu of your device
2. Scroll down and select Google
3. Select Backup
4. Click the toggle Backup on (this will help google drive back up your device in the future automatically via Wifi)
5. Select “backup now“.

Note: the specific steps may vary according to the model of the devices, but the gist is the same.

For IOS

1. Log in to the App Store 
2. Search and Download “Google Drive”
3. Open the app and sign in with a google account.
4. Once logged in, tap the menu button on the left-hand side.
5. Click on the settings and tap Back Up.
6. There are options to choose what you want to back up, toggle the ones you want to back up.
7. Click allow access.

Cloud Backup in Android and IOS

There are various cloud backups available for different phones. For Eg: Xiaomi offers Mi Cloud with free 5GB of storage, so backing up messages, logs, and important stuff won’t be a problem.

Similarly, you get one drive as your cloud backup service for Samsung devices with Free 5 GB of storage. Companies have different setup systems for their cloud.

The general step is to check settings and find your phone’s accounts and Sync or phone account. There will most likely be an option to join their cloud.

You can back up your essentials for Apple phones that use IOS via iCloud.

iCloud Backup

1. Connect your iPhone to the Wifi
2. Go to Settings and tap iCloud
3. Select iCloud Backup
4. Select Backup now
5. Please stay connected till the process ends. You should see the date and time of your BackupBackup once the process is finished.

Use Third-Party App Back Ups (Last Resort)

There are plenty of third-party apps that backup your device for you. If you regularly back up with your clouds from google or your carrier companies or iClouds etc., these Backups may not be necessary.

You can try one of the options below; one of them will surely work on your device:

Where Do Deleted Messages Go?

Once you choose the delete option for any kind of file in your phone, the file is allocated for being overwritten, meaning as new files are stored in the device, they will overwrite the older files that you thought you deleted. There is a chance of those files being restored until it is overwritten.