In the age of smartphones, text messages have become a crucial means of communication for most people. However, it’s quite common to accidentally delete a text message and regret it later. If you’re an iPhone user, then you might believe that once you’ve deleted a message, it’s gone forever. Fortunately, that’s not always the case. You can use iTunes, Apple’s media player, and device manager to retrieve your deleted text messages from an iPhone. In this article, we’ll guide you on how to recover deleted text messages on iPhone, using iTunes.
Video Tutorial:
The Challenge of: How to Retrieve Deleted Text Messages on iPhone Using iTunes
Have you ever deleted a text message and wish you could get it back? Often, we accidentally delete messages and then regret it moments later. While there isn’t a direct way to restore deleted text messages on an iPhone, you can retrieve them via iTunes. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize this option is available. Hence, we wrote this blog post to help you understand how to recover deleted text messages on iPhone by using iTunes.
Things You Should Prepare for :
Before digging deeper into the process of restoring deleted text messages on an iPhone using iTunes, there are a few things you need to prepare.
1. Backup your iPhone before attempting to restore any deleted messages. This will ensure that you don’t lose any data if the process goes wrong.
2. Ensure that you have the latest version of iTunes installed on your computer.
3. Confirm that you know your Apple ID and password.
Method 1: Restore from iTunes backup via computer
Method 1 is the most common way to restore deleted text messages on an iPhone by using iTunes. It works by restoring your iPhone from a backup that you created before losing the texts.
To restore deleted text messages on iPhone via iTunes backup, follow these steps:
Step 1: Connect your iPhone to your computer that has iTunes installed using a lightning cable.
Step 2: Click the iPhone icon on the left-hand side of the iTunes window.
Step 3: Choose "Restore backup" under the Backups section.
Step 4: Select the latest backup file from the backup list and click "Restore."
Step 5: Wait for the restore process to complete, which can take up to several hours.
Pros:
– Restoring a backup via iTunes is a straightforward process.
– iTunes backup contains almost all data, including text messages.
Cons:
– Only restores data from a previously created backup, so it’s not always up to date.
– Restore can take a few hours if the backup file is large.
Method 2: Use third-party iTunes backup extractor
Method 2 involves using third-party iTunes backup extractor tools, such as AnyTrans, iMyFone, or PhoneRescue. These tools enable you to extract your iPhone’s data that was backed up via iTunes.
To restore deleted text messages on iPhone via a third-party iTunes backup extractor, follow these steps:
Step 1: Choose a third-party iTunes backup extractor tool and download it on your computer.
Step 2: Connect your iPhone to your computer via a lightning cable.
Step 3: Launch the third-party iTunes backup extractor tool and choose your phone from the available list.
Step 4: Select "Messages" and any other data you wish to recover and restore.
Step 5: Click "Export" to retrieve the messages from your iTunes backup.
Pros:
– Third-party iTunes backup extractors allow you to access more data than what iTunes provides.
– These tools work well with large backup files.
Cons:
– It usually costs money to use a third-party iTunes backup extractor.
– You need to choose the right third-party software–some of them might not work correctly, and some may not be safe.
Method 3: Using iCloud Backup
Method 3 involves recovering deleted text messages on iPhone via iCloud backup. It requires you to have enabled the automatic backup feature through your iCloud account before the deletion. iCloud backup is a cloud-based backup service provided by Apple.
To recover deleted text messages from an iPhone via iCloud Backup, follow these steps:
Step 1: Open your iPhone’s "Settings" app and tap on "General."
Step 2: Scroll down and choose "Reset."
Step 3: Tap on "Erase All Content and Settings."
Step 4: Follow the on-screen guide to erase your iPhone completely.
Step 5: When it comes time to set up the phone again, choose "Restore from iCloud Backup."
Step 6: Choose the latest iCloud backup to restore from.
Pros:
– iCloud backups are available to access from any Apple device with the same iCloud account.
– It’s a great way to restore text messages that have been deleted for a long time.
Cons:
– To use this method, you’ll need to make sure that iCloud Backup is enabled and that you have enough storage space in your iCloud account.
– Slow upload and download speeds can prolong the process.
Why Can’t I Recover My Deleted Text Messages?
Most people who can’t recover deleted text messages on their iPhone face similar issues. These include:
1. Text messages deleted beyond the amount of time that your backup was created.
2. The text messages are stored in an available iCloud account that the user is unaware of.
3. No backup was created before the text message’s deletion.
Here are some potential fixes to these issues:
1. Ensure that you created a backup from which the deleted text messages can be restored.
2. Check to see if your text messages are stored in another backup service, such as iCloud.
3. Use specialized software for data recovery purposes.
Additional Tips
You should consider creating multiple backups with different software. That way, if one software fails to retrieve your deleted text messages, you have a backup plan.
If you’re in the market for a new phone, consider buying an iPhone with a larger storage capacity than your current one. A larger storage unit will give you enough space to backup all your data.
5 FAQs about How to Retrieve Deleted Text Messages on iPhone Using iTunes
Q1: Can I retrieve deleted text messages on an iPhone without iTunes?
A: Yes, you can make use of third-party iOS data recovery software like iMyFone or AnyTrans.
Q2: Is it possible to retrieve deleted text messages from an iPhone that is disabled?
A: It’s practically impossible to retrieve any data from a disabled iPhone.
Q3: How far back can I retrieve deleted text messages on iPhone using iTunes?
A: Using iTunes to help restore deleted text messages does not have any time or date restrictions.
Q4: Can I restore deleted text messages on my iPhone with iTunes without overwriting current data?
A: Yes, by opting to restore from a backup made earlier, your current data remains intact.
Q5: Can I retrieve deleted text messages on my iPhone using iTunes without a computer?
A: No, you can only recover deleted text messages on your iPhone using iTunes with your computer.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, accidentally deleting text messages on an iPhone can be frustrating. Fortunately, with a few easy to follow steps and an iTunes backup, you can retrieve them. The beauty of it is the availability of three complementary methods; namely, restoring deleted text messages on an iPhone using iTunes backup via the computer, using third-party iTunes backup extractors, or iCloud backup. Ensure that you prepare well, as discussed in this post, for the data recovery process. We do hope that this blog post has provided you with valuable insight on how to retrieve deleted text messages on iPhone using iTunes.