Recover Recently Deleted Messages on PC & Mobile

March 25, 2025 (updated June 23, 2025)

By WinFR Admin

Accidental deletion of messages can be catastrophic for both PC and mobile users. A single misclick or software error on PCs may erase vital emails and chat records, while on mobile devices, an unintended swipe can remove important texts, multimedia, or entire conversation threads. Such errors, often occurring during multitasking or stressful situations, may only be noticed too late. Recovering these messages is essential since lost data can lead to gaps, missed opportunities, or legal issues. Analysis in 2025 confirms that modern recovery tools and robust backup solutions now offer advanced features to restore your recently deleted messages, ensuring that critical communications remain safeguarded.

Table of Contents

Why Are Messages Deleted on Your Device?

Messages may be deleted for various reasons—whether it’s accidental deletion, an app update, or a phone reset. Understanding why messages were deleted can help determine the best recovery method. Here’s why messages are typically lost:

Accidental Deletion: Mistakenly deleting messages while cleaning up.
Software Glitches: System errors or app bugs leading to lost data.
Factory Reset: A full device reset can erase everything, including your messages.
No Backup: If you haven’t backed up your messages, you might not be able to recover them easily.

Regardless of the cause, message recovery is often possible, even without a backup.

How to Recover Recently Deleted Messages on PC

If you’re using messaging apps like Skype, WhatsApp Web, or Facebook Messenger on your PC, recovery can be a bit different than on mobile. However, it’s still possible!

Method 1. Check Your App’s Cloud Backup

If you’ve lost important messages, your messaging app’s cloud sync or backup feature might already have you covered—especially if you use both mobile and desktop versions of the app. Here’s how it works across popular platforms:

1. WhatsApp Web:

WhatsApp Web is essentially a mirror of your phone’s messages, so it relies entirely on what’s stored on your mobile device. If your phone has backups enabled—either to Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone)—you can reinstall WhatsApp, choose to restore from the most recent backup during setup, and your messages will also reappear in WhatsApp Web once syncing resumes. Always double-check that backups are turned on under Settings > Chats > Chat Backup to keep your data protected.

2. Telegram:

Telegram stores all your chats in the cloud by default, which means your messages are accessible from any device you’re logged into—even if you’ve switched phones or browsers. If a message seems to have disappeared, try checking another device or the desktop app. While most messages sync seamlessly, Telegram allows for self-destructing messages or manual deletions that permanently remove content from all devices if not set otherwise.

3. Messenger:

Messenger automatically syncs your conversations across devices, whether you’re using the mobile app or a browser. If a message appears missing on one device, log into your account from another (like a different browser or the Facebook app) to see if it’s still accessible. Archive and spam folders in Messenger sometimes hide conversations—be sure to check those too.

To avoid losing messages in the future, enable automatic backups in your app settings wherever available, and regularly review your sync and storage preferences—especially when switching devices or updating apps.

Method 2. Restore from Local App Files

Some messaging apps store local copies or databases of your messages on your computer. These files may remain intact even after a message is deleted from the visible app interface.

Skype

Skype stores messages in a local SQLite database (main.db) on your PC.
Path: C:\Users\[YourName]\AppData\Roaming\Skype\[SkypeID]
If messages are deleted, you can attempt to recover the database file using tools like WinfrGUI and then extract messages using an SQLite viewer.

Slack

Slack desktop apps cache workspace data and store message history locally, though not always permanently.
You can use Slack’s search function to find old messages or check if deleted messages still exist in the workspace archive, depending on admin settings and retention policies.

If local message files were accidentally deleted, use a data recovery tool like WinfrGUI to scan your PC for files with extensions like .db, .log, or .json.

Method 3. Use a PC Data Recovery Tool

If your messages were stored locally and got deleted, a reliable data recovery tool can help you retrieve them before they’re overwritten. WinfrGUI is a completely free Windows-based file recovery tool that offers a graphical interface for Microsoft’s command-line Windows File Recovery (WinFR). It supports NTFS, FAT, and exFAT file systems and is especially useful for recovering deleted documents, images, and app data — including message log files.

Why choose WinfrGUI?

No command-line needed — intuitive point-and-click interface
Supports recovery by file type, folder path, or keyword
Works on internal and external drives (USB, SD card, TF card)

How to Recover Deleted Messages Using WinfrGUI:

Step 1. Download and install WinfrGUI → Download WinfrGUI Free

Download WinfrGUI Free

Step 2. Launch the tool and select the drive where your chat messages were stored (e.g., C: or D:)

Step 3. Choose a recovery mode (Quick or Deep Scan)

Step 4. Use filters (e.g., file type: .txt, .db, or .log) to narrow down the scan

Step 5. Click Scan, then browse and preview results

Step 6. Select your message files and click Recover to save them

Select the drive where the messages were stored.
Scan for deleted files and look for your message files.

Method 4. Look in the App’s Trash Folder

Many messaging apps include a Trash, Archive, or Recently Deleted section where deleted messages are temporarily stored before being permanently erased—offering a second chance to retrieve conversations you thought were gone. For example, apps like Skype, Google Hangouts, and Facebook Messenger may keep deleted messages accessible for a limited time. On Facebook Messenger, deleted messages stay in the “Recently Deleted” folder for up to 30 days. After that window, they’re permanently removed from the system and can’t be restored through the app itself. For a detailed guide, check out Can You Recover Permanently Deleted Files? Proven Solutions

How to Recover Recently Deleted Messages on iPhone

iPhones offer a few built-in ways to recover deleted messages—especially if you have iCloud or iTunes backups enabled. The key is acting quickly and knowing whether you’ve backed up recently.

Method 1. Restore from iCloud Backup

Step 1: Go to Settings > tap your Apple ID name at the top > iCloud > iCloud Backup, and look at the last backup date—make sure it was made before the messages were deleted.

Step 2: Find Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings, and follow the prompts to reset your device to factory settings.

Step 3: After your iPhone restarts, go through the setup process until you reach the Apps & Data screen, then select Restore from iCloud Backup, sign in with your Apple ID, and choose the backup from the correct date.

This process replaces your current data with the backup, so make sure to save any new photos, files, or app info beforehand.

Method 2. Restore Messages Using iTunes or Finder Backup

If you’ve backed up your iPhone to your computer using iTunes (on Windows or macOS Mojave and earlier) or Finder (on macOS Catalina and later), you can recover deleted messages by restoring your device from one of these backups.

Step 1: Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable.

Step 2: Open iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and newer), then select your iPhone when it appears in the window.

Step 3: Click Restore Backup, choose a backup dated before you deleted the messages, and follow the prompts to restore your iPhone.

Keep in mind this will overwrite current data on your device, so make sure to save anything important before proceeding.

Method 3. Use Third-Party iPhone Data Recovery Software

If you don’t have a recent backup or want to recover deleted messages without resetting your device, third-party recovery tools can help scan your iPhone for lost data and selectively restore what you need. Some of the most trusted options include:

Dr. Fone – Data Recovery for iOS
iMobie PhoneRescue
Tenorshare UltData

Step 1: Download and install your chosen recovery software on your computer.

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to the computer, then launch the software and start a scan for deleted messages and other lost data.

Step 3: Once the scan is complete, preview the recoverable messages and select which ones you want to restore back to your device or save elsewhere.

These tools often offer free trials to scan your device before you commit to purchasing the full recovery features.

Method 4. Check Your iCloud Messaging App Backup

Many messaging apps like WhatsApp and iMessage offer their own backup options within iCloud, allowing you to restore deleted messages without resetting your entire device.

iMessage: Messages are automatically backed up if you use iCloud Backup for your entire device, so restoring from an iCloud backup can bring back deleted iMessages.

WhatsApp: Open WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup, and check if there’s a recent backup stored in iCloud. If so, you can reinstall WhatsApp and restore your chats from that backup during setup.

Regularly enable and update these backups to avoid losing important conversations in the future. Also interested in learning How to Recover Permanently Deleted Videos with Free Software. Let me know if you’d like a detailed guide!

How to Get Back Deleted Messages on Android

If you’ve accidentally deleted messages on your Android device, there are several ways to get them back—depending largely on whether you’ve enabled backups or not.

Method 1. Restore from Google Backup

Step 1: Open Settings, then go to Google > Backup, and check the date of your last backup to ensure it includes your deleted messages.

Step 2: Go to Settings > System > Reset options, then tap Erase all data (factory reset) and follow the prompts to confirm the reset.

Step 3: After your phone restarts, follow the setup prompts and choose to Restore from Google Backup, then select the backup dated before you deleted your messages to recover them.

Remember, restoring from backup will erase any new data added since the backup—so back up any important files first!

Method 2. Use a Message Recovery App (No Backup Needed)

If you don’t have a recent backup, don’t worry—you still have a shot at recovering deleted messages using third-party data recovery tools. These apps scan your device for fragments of deleted data and can often retrieve messages, even if they’re no longer visible. Popular options include:

Dr. Fone – Data Recovery: One of the top Android tools for recovering messages and photos.
EaseUS MobiSaver: A reliable app for recovering deleted text messages, photos, contacts.
DiskDigger: A free app that scans for deleted files on your Android phone.

Step 1: Download and install your chosen app on your PC or Android device.

Step 2: Connect your Android phone to the computer (if using a desktop app), grant necessary permissions, and start a full scan for deleted messages.

Step 3: Once the scan is complete, preview the recoverable messages and select the ones you want to restore.

For best results, stop using your device after deletion to avoid overwriting the deleted data.

Method 3. Check Your Messaging App’s Backup

Some messaging apps—especially WhatsApp—have their own backup systems that can help you recover deleted messages without resetting your whole device.

1. For WhatsApp:

Before diving into third-party tools, check if WhatsApp’s built-in backup can help you recover your messages.

Open WhatsApp > go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
If there’s a recent backup available (either to Google Drive or local storage), you can uninstall and reinstall the app, then choose Restore during setup to bring back your deleted chats.

2. For Telegram

Telegram stores all messages in the cloud by default, so deleted chats may still be available on another device (desktop, browser, or another phone) if not manually cleared across all sessions.

Log in to Telegram on a different device or web app to check for message copies.
However, if you delete a message for everyone, it’s gone from Telegram’s servers permanently.

3. For Facebook Messenger

Messenger automatically syncs across devices via your Facebook account.

Deleted messages typically go to the “Archived” folder instead of being fully erased.
Check Messenger.com > More > Archived or search the conversation name.
If deleted from both inbox and archive, recovery isn’t possible unless you previously downloaded your Facebook data.

WhatsApp backups usually run daily or weekly, depending on your settings—make sure it’s enabled to avoid future message loss. If you’re dealing with other types of deleted content, you might also be interested in: How to Recover Permanently Deleted Photos from Google Photos after 60 Days.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. Can I recover permanently deleted messages on Messenger?

No. Once messages are removed from the “Recently Deleted” section after 30 days, they are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered through Facebook. You may try using a data recovery tool to scan your device for any leftover data.

Q2. How long do deleted messages stay on Messenger?

Deleted messages stay in the “Recently Deleted” section for up to 30 days. After that period, they are automatically erased and can’t be recovered.

Q3. What happens when I delete a chat on Messenger?

When you delete a chat, it’s removed from your conversation list. If you choose “Archive” instead, the chat is simply hidden and can be restored anytime — it’s not deleted.

Q4. Can I see messages deleted by someone else?

No. You can only view messages that remain in your own account. If someone else deletes a conversation from their end, it won’t be visible to them, but you may still see it unless you also delete it.

Conclusion

Recovering recently deleted messages doesn’t have to be complicated. By checking recently deleted folders, restoring backups, or using reliable recovery software, you can successfully retrieve lost conversations on your PC or mobile device. To avoid future data loss, consider enabling automatic backups and archiving important messages. Acting quickly increases the chances of recovery, so start the process as soon as possible to get your messages back.

🔗 Also Read: How to Recover Permanently Deleted Files Windows 10 Using CMD