Need to find an old message in iMessage? You’ll need to learn how to search inside your text messages to find it – here’s how it is done Finding a specific message inside Apple’s iMessage – on either you iPhone or iPad – is actually really simple. It is super-useful too. All you need to know or have is a specific “keyword” or “phrase” in mind. If you know that, you can. To retrieve old iMessages, you will need to access either the iTunes backup or the iCloud backup. Both these options were created by Apple themselves as they expected for issues like this to happen. These options, the iTunes and the iCloud backup, both stores the history of your phone, including the past iMessages. Find an Old Message With the Search Bar in iOS. You can search for a message if you remember any words someone used in it. This is the fastest way to find an old message on your iPhone and can save you a lot of scrolling or tapping. Go to the Messages app. Find the Search bar on the main screen with all the conversation threads. You may need to. Actually, there's a hidden search bar in your iMessages app, you can utilize it to find your iMessages. Here's the how-to-do guide: Step 1. Open your iMessages, reveal the hidden search bar by dragging your fingers downwards accross the middle of your screen. Now you can see the search bar on the top of the screen. Find Old iMessages from Other Devices. While it may be an inconvenient option, you can always retrieve old iMessages by checking your other devices. Obviously, this means you’ll have to manually retrieve old iMessages the traditional way.

Accidentally deleted important iMessages and have no available computer for you to restore iMessages from iTunes backup? Don’t worry. Here is the best way to recover deleted iMessages without computer.

iMessage Tips & Issues

“All iMessages on my iPhone X have been deleted by my daughter last night. I know that I can get my iMessages back by restoring from iTunes backup. But we are now on a journey to Africa and I forgot bring my laptop. Anybody knows how can I recover deleted iMessages without computer? Thanks!”

If you are also stuck on the same trouble like above user and looking for a way to recover deleted iMessages without computer, then stop here. In the following, we will show you how to recover deleted iMessages without computer. Also, sharing you another popular way to recover deleted iMessages without any backup & existing data loss. Now, read on with deep attention.

Remember that stop using your iPhone until you get all deleted iMessages back, as any operation like taking new photos, sending messages, etc. will overwrite the deleted iMessages and cause them lose eternally.

Part 1. How to Recover Deleted iMessages without Computer
Part 2. How to Recover Deleted iMessages without Erasing Data

Part 1. How to Recover Deleted iMessages without Computer – iCloud

To recover deleted iMessages without computer, then the only available way for you is to restore your iPhone from iCloud backup. However, this only method is unless if you have made no iCloud backup before, or the iCloud backup you made doesn’t including the iMessages you deleted.

Find Old Imessages Without Scrolling

Also, you must clear that restore from iCloud backup requires you to erase all existing data on your iPhone, and those erased data can’t be recovered anymore. You can’t choose to restore iMessages only, it asks for a full restore of your iPhone. So, you’d better ensure that the iCloud backup you choose whether contains the iMessages you want. Otherwise, you will lose more important data on your iPhone. If you want to keep all your data safe and restore deleted iMessages only, move to Part 2 to make it.

Step 1. Go to Settings > General > scroll down the screen and tap Reset > Choose Erase All Content and Settings > Enter your password.

How to Recover Deleted iMessages without Computer – Step 1

Step 2. Tap Restore from iCloud Backup on the Apps & Data screen > Sign in your iCloud account > Choose backup > Choose the one contains the deleted iMessages.

Part 2. How to Recover Deleted iMessages without Backup or Data Loss

On one hand, iCloud recovery way requires you to erase all previous data on iPhone and needs a full restore. On the other hand, any operation on your iPhone will generate new data and overwrite the deleted iMessages. So, the safest way to recover iMessages is to get outside help from some professional and reliable iPhone data recovery software like PhoneRescue – iOS Data Recovery.

To avoid iMessages overwritten risk and ensure the highest recovery success rate, PhoneRescue is a computer-based software that can help you recover deleted iMessages with no data loss & even without any backup. Below are more outstanding features of it on recovering iMessage.

• Top Success Rate in the Industry – It has helped over millions of iOS users recover deleted iMessages and messages, and highly recommended by those users for iPhone/iPad/iPod data recovery.
• Recover All iMessages Contents – Including texts, photos, videos, audio messages, specific time, etc.
• Only iMessages Recovery – Supports recovering only deleted iMessages, but not a full restore. In addition, it allows you to preview and select the deleted iMessage(s) you prefer most to recover.
• Recover to iPhone’s Message App Directly – Allows you to retrieve the deleted iMessages to Message app on iPhone directly, just like you never lost them. Also, you can choose to store them on your computer in readable formats of PDF, TXT, or .html.
• Keep All Data Safe – Unlike traditional backup recovery way, you won’t lose any file after the recovery process.
• 3 Recovery Modes – 3 different recovery modes: from iDevice directly (even without any backup), from iTunes backup, and from iCloud backup. Unlike traditional iTunes/iCloud backup recovery way, it allows you to check the backup details before recovering and enables you to recover certain file types, no full restoring needs.

Free Download PhoneRescue – iOS Data Recovery prior, and then follow the simple steps below to recover your iMessages with no effort.

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Step 1. Install and open PhoneRescue – iOS Data Recovery on your computer > Connect your iPhone to the computer with a USB cable > Choose Recover from iOS Device mode > Click Right Arrow to go to the next page.

How to Recover Deleted iMessages without Losing Data – Step 1

Step 2. Check Messages category only > Click OK button to scan the deleted iMessages. If you also want to retrieve other categories at the same time, simply check them.

How to Recover Deleted iMessages without Losing Data – Step 2

Step 3. Preview and select the iMessages and attachments you want to recover > Click To Device button to recover them to iPhone’s Messages app directly for instant use. Or you can choose to store them on your Mac/PC by clicking To Computer button.

How to Recover Deleted iMessages without Losing Data – Step 3

Find Old Imessages On Icloud

If you have made an iTunes or iCloud backup before losing iMessages, just read the 2 guides below to check whether the backup contains the deleted iMessages or not. And then read on to learn how to recover deleted iMessages from backup without full restore & data loss.
How to Recover Deleted iMessages from iTunes Backup without Losing Data >
How to Recover Deleted iMessages from iCloud Backup without Losing Data >

The Bottom Line

You may have succeeded in recovering deleted iMessages with the above 2 methods. If you have stored lots of important files on iPhone, we strongly suggest method 2 to recover the deleted iMessages. Just try it for free to recover deleted iMessages easily.

Product-related questions? Contact Our Support Team to Get Quick Solution >

Too many iMessages to go through? Delete an important iMessage by accident? Or your device has been jailbroken, for which your iMessages have all gone away? Even unfortunately your iPhone is lost? .....There are many cases will remind you of viewing iMessage History. However, how to find old iMessages easily or without having time flown backwards?

Here are three ways to view iMessage history:

Above all, a magic tool will be used: iPhone Data Viewer(iOS Data Recovery, Compatible with iOS 11). (Click to free download today)(Click to free download today)

View Existing and Deleted iMessages from iPhone/iTunes Backup and iCloud Backup.

Solution 1: View Existing and Deleted iMessage Directly from iPhone

• Step 1 Launch iOS Data Recovery, then click 'Recover from iOS Device'→ Press 'Start'→ Select 'Message'. Click 'Next' to continue.
• Step 2 Connect your iPhone to the computer and click 'Scan.'
• Step 3 Both your deleted and existing iMessages will be scanned. When the scanning process is completed, you are able to view all your iMessages on the next screen. Just select what you want to save and click 'Recover' to save them to your computer.

Solution 2: View iMessage History from iTunes Backup

• Step 1 On the main window, select in sequence 'Recover from iTunes Backup'→ 'Start' → 'Message'→ 'Next'.
• Step 2 Select an iTunes backup file and click 'Scan'.
• Step 3 As soon as the scanning process is completed, all your iMessages can be seen in the backup file. Just select the ones you need and click 'Recover' to save them.

Learn more about How to Extract iPhone Data from iTunes Backup

Solution 3: View iMessage History from iCloud Backup

• Step 1 At this moment, select 'Recover from iCloud Backup' → 'Next'→'Message' and click 'Next' to continue.
• Step 2 After entering your iCloud account, you are supposed to select the relevant iCloud backup file. Click 'Download' to go on. Don’t worry, your personal information will never be leaked out.
• Step 3 Finally, the backup of your iMessages will be downloaded. Once it’s completed, all of your iMessages can be seen on the screen. Just select the iMessages you want and click 'Recover' to save them.

Further Reading:How to Retrieve Messages from iCloud Backup

A Slight Digression: Why iMessage on iPhone X is awesome.

Besides iOS Data Recovery, dr.fone - Recover can be helpful as well. First of all, please download(Click to free download today)(Click to free download today) dr.fone tookit on your PC and get it installed.

Next, its three solutions will be briefly introduced.

View iMessages Directly from iPhone, iTunes Backup, iCloud Backup efficiently.

Tip 1: View iMessage Directly from iPhone With dr.fone

• Step 1 After having connected your device, find and click“Recover”from dr.fone interface, then click “Start Scan” in the lower right corner.
• Step 2 When the scan is finished, all the results will be clearly presented as following screen.

Tip 2: View iMessage History from iTunes Backup With dr.fone

• Step 1 Find and click “Recover from iTunes Backup File” to switch to the recovery mode. Then select the iMessage backup you need and click “Start Scan” to continue.
• Step 2 Then, you can read the iMessage history by clicking “Messages”.

If you haven't backup to iTunes before, here is the tutorial to Backup iPhone to iTunes on Windows and Mac.

Tip 3 :View iMessage History from iCloud Backup With dr.fone

• Step 1 Click “Recover from iCloud Backup File” button and sign in your iCloud account.
• Step 2 Then, a list of all your backup files will appear. Click “Download” to save the file onto your computer.

However, the backup file is unreadable by any other program but dr.fone.

• Step 3 Finally, click “Messages” and “Message Attachments” to view your iMessages.

Learn more about :How to Restore from iCloud - 3 Ways to Restore iPhone/iPad from iCloud

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