How to Recover Deleted Messages on Facebook Messenger

How to Recover Deleted Messages on Facebook Messenger? 

What you need to know?

  • When you delete a message in FacebookMessenger, is permanently deleted.
  • Maybe you archived it instead of deleting it? touch chat and search for the recipient. The archived conversation will appear.
  • You may also be able to retrieve a message from Messenger removed if you download your Facebook data, as there may still be a copy.

How to Recover Deleted Messages on Facebook Messenger?

This article explains some solutions if you want to recover a deleted Facebook Messenger message, such as checking if it was just archived, downloading your Facebook data in the hope that the message is still on the server, and asking your contact for a copy of the conversation.

Check if the message is simply archived

An archived message in Messenger is hidden from your inbox but not permanently deleted. It is possible that when you tried to delete the message, you selected hide chat (iOS) or file (Androids) instead of Delete Chat. Both options appear after you swipe left on a message, so it’s an easy mistake.

CHECK FILED MESSAGES IN IOS MESSENGER APP

To check if you’ve archived your message instead of deleting it in the iOS Messenger app:

  1. open the app Messenger on your iPhone or iPad.

  2. touch your profile picture .

  3. touch Archived chats .

  4. If the chat was archived, you will see it here. Swipe from right to left and select Unarchive to return to your active Messenger chats.

CHECK ARCHIVED FACEBOOK MESSAGES IN A BROWSER

If you go to Facebook.com in your favorite computer browser, this is how you check (and maybe retrieve) an archived message.

  1. Open Facebook in a web browser.

  2. Select the icon of Messenger at the top of the page.

  3. choose See all in Messenger at the bottom of the Messenger list.

  4. Click the icon menu three dots next to chat and select Archived chats on the menu.

  5. If you see the message you’re looking for, reply to the chat to move it back to the active Messenger chat list.

Download your Facebook data

Facebook keeps messages you delete for an unspecified period of time before they’re completely deleted from its servers, so you may be able to find deleted messages by downloading your Facebook data.

DOWNLOAD FACEBOOK DATA IN IOS MESSENGER APP

You can request that Facebook send you a copy of your data on its website or just messages. There is a possibility that some of your deleted messages will be included. Here’s how to request your data using the iOS Messenger app.

  1. Start the app Messenger and touch your image at the top of the screen.

  2. Scroll down and select Account Settings

  3. Scroll down to the section Your Facebook information and play Download profile information .

  4. On the screen that opens, place a check mark next to Posts . You may want to uncheck the other categories. The report will contain your data for the categories you check.

  5. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and touch create file . Facebook prepares the report and contacts you when it’s ready. While you wait, your request appears as “Pending.” If it only asks for your Messenger details, the wait is short.

  6. Examine the report for the message that you expect to retrieve.

DOWNLOAD FACEBOOK DATA ON THE FACEBOOK WEBSITE

You can also request your Facebook data, including your Messages, from the Facebook website on a computer. That is how:

  1. open Facebook in a web browser.

  2. Select the down arrow in the upper right corner of your Facebook page and select Settings and privacy on the menu.

  3. choose Setting on the screen that opens.

  4. Select Privacy in the Settings sidebar.

  5. Select your Facebook information in the privacy sidebar.

  6. go to section Download profile information and select Watch .

  7. Select Posts if it is not already checked. Deselect any other categories you don’t want to download. Select create file .

  8. When the report is complete, Facebook notifies you that it’s ready to download. Check the report of the deleted messages you are looking for.

Ask your contact

Even if you can’t retrieve the message, your contact may still have a copy of the chat. Ask that person to send you the messages or to take a screenshot of the conversation thread and send you the image.