This brief tutorial will walk you through retrieving deleted messages from the Messenger app, which is a follow-up to our previous post about deleting messages from Facebookâor, more accurately, Meta’s app. Depending on the time since the messages were erased, these tactics and tricks may help you or a loved one recover deleted messages from the Meta Messenger program.
This fast instruction will show you how to retrieve deleted messages from our earlier article on erasing messages from the Messenger app. Suppose you or a family member mistakenly erased messages from the Meta Messenger app and want to retrieve them. In that case, these instructions will show you how to do it based on how long it has been since the original message was deleted. Unfortunately, it is sometimes hard to recover communications that have been erased over time.
The situation becomes even more perilous if the erased discussion contains sensitive information. Is it possible to recover deleted messages on Messenger? If you delete a message for everyone in the conversation, it won’t be recovered. However, before quitting, you should attempt the methods listed below.
Identify if a deleted message is recoverable or not.
When you delete your message on Messenger, you can choose whether to remove it for yourself or everyone. Removing a message for yourself is still available to other individuals in the conversation and is recoverable because other chat participants can view it.
If you delete the message for everyone, it’s gone for everyone in that conversation, and it’s difficult (or impossible) to retrieve. When you delete a communication from someone other than yourself, it is solely deleted from your end. Other participants in the discussion can still view it.
If the message was archived:
When you delete a message, you may also archive it because archiving is easier on the app, and many users prefer it. In any case, the message would be archived if you unintentionally pressed archive. It’s also possible that you archived the message on purpose. When you needed it later, you thought it was destroyed because archived messages are hidden from the main Messenger chats, commonly known as Inbox.
- Start the Messenger app.
- In the top left corner, tap your profile photo.
- Choose ‘Archived Chats.’
- If you find the desired chat, tap and hold it until a list appears.
- Select ‘Unarchive.’
- The message or chat will now be delivered to your inbox.
Message Phrase on Messenger:
If you can’t find an old message and believe it was removed, utilize the search option. This method is only helpful for locating a lost (but not deleted) message among hundreds or thousands of messages.
- Launch Messenger.
- At the top of the screen, tap the search bar.
- To find it, type any unique phrase or word into the conversation.
Saved Cached Data From Messenger Android Application:
Cache data is temporary data that Android cell phones save for each program. It’s usually helpful for quickly launching an app and its functionalities. If you recently permanently deleted a message (or the sender did), you may be able to recover it from cache data on your Android phone. This works if you act quickly after deletion. Because iOS does not provide simple access to cached data, restoring backup files from system directories is unsuitable for iPhone and iPad users.
- Launch File Manager on your smartphone.
- Open the Google Play Store and search for ‘Google Files.’ If you don’t have a file explorer app on your phone, choose ‘Internal Storage’ (if Messenger was saved on internal storage). Check the SD card.
- Select ‘Android’ from the folder list.
- Navigate to the ‘Data’ folder.
- Choose ‘com.facebook.orca’.
- Select ‘Cache’.
- Select ‘fb-temp’.
- You’ll discover your conversations’ cache data inside that folder. Locate your chat, followed by the message.
Send You Back The Message:
When you delete a communication, you can do so for yourself or for everyone. If you erased the message simply for yourself, the receiver would still have it. In this scenario, ask any person in the conversation to email the message in text or as a screenshot. You can claim that you unintentionally erased the message and require a copy, or you can claim anything else, depending on your relationship with the person in the chat. Try this strategy if you need help remembering whether you erased the message for yourself or everyone.
Deleted Message By Downloading Your Facebook Information:
Facebook keeps track of your Facebook and Messenger activity. It also allows you to build and retrieve your Facebook information if necessary.
When you delete a message, it is now stored on Facebook servers for an undetermined amount of time. You can download the Facebook Messenger activity data to restore your deleted Facebook Messenger message.
It’s also an excellent approach to keep a backup of complete conversations if you suspect someone in the chat would delete a message (sent by them) for everyone.
If you make these backups regularly, you will have access to the Facebook Messenger communications even if you or others in the chat delete them.
- Open the Facebook Messenger application.
- Tap your profile photo in the upper-left corner.
- Swipe down and choose ‘Account settings’ from the drop-down menu.
- Choose ‘Download your information’ from the ‘Your Information’ area.
- You’ll find various activities that you can back up. Select everything and check the box next to ‘Messages’ to retrieve messages.
- Swipe to the bottom of the list after selecting ‘Messages’ and press the ‘Create File’ button.
- It will indicate that your copy is being made. If you only choose messages, it will take a little time. When the information is ready for access, email will alert you. If you don’t receive the email, go to the exact location and click the ‘Available Copies’ option to find the file.
- Check the downloaded file for the erased message.
- It will be an HTML file that will be opened in your web browser.
Recover Deleted Messages On Messenger For Desktops And Laptops:
Archived Messages:
Even if you’re sure you deleted the message, check your archived messages to see if it’s still there. Sometimes, users archive a message rather than delete it.
- Open Facebook in your web browser to log in to your Facebook account.
- Click From the upper right corner, Click the Messenger icon, and then choose ‘See all in Messenger.
- In the upper left corner of the screen.
- Click the three dots.
- A list would be displayed. Choose ‘Archived chats.
- If you discover the chat you’re looking for, hover your mouse cursor over the person’s or group’s name in the side panel and click the three dots.
- Select ‘Unarchive chat.
- The discussion will now show up in your primary inbox.
Conversation For The Message:
Messages are frequently forgotten in the steady flood of messages. It is beneficial for groups. If you can’t find the message you’re searching for, try using the search option.
Compared to the app, the desktop version of Messenger features a dedicated search tool for each discussion, making searching easier.
- Launch a browser and navigate to Facebook.
- Select ‘See all in Messenger’ by clicking the Messenger symbol in the upper right corner.
- Choose the chat you wish to search for.
- Click the information icon (‘i’ inside a circle) inside a chat.
- Choose ‘Search in chat’.
- Enter the phrase or term specific to the message you’re looking for.
From The Recipient Of The Message:
Other contacts in the conversation could still view the message if you deleted it for yourself exclusively. As a result, you might request that the recipient(s) send you a specific message.
Furthermore, you should check with the recipient if you need help remembering which option you selected while deleting the message. This will only work if you delete the message for some people because no one will have it.
Recover A Deleted Message Or Chat:
Whatever you do on Facebook and Messenger is saved on Facebook’s servers. This is a regular practice for social media sites and cloud computing businesses. You can use the saved information if you accidentally erase a message and want to recover it.
Because even if you and everyone else in the chat remove a message permanently, it may still be saved on the servers. This method may be helpful if you need to recover a recent communication.
Launch a web browser and navigate to Facebook.
Choose ‘Settings & Privacy’ from the drop-down menu in the top right corner.
Now, choose ‘Settings.’
Select ‘Your Face Book Information’ from the side panel.
Choose ‘Download your data.
By clicking ‘Data range (mandatory),’ you can select a date range for your information.
Scroll down and deselect all of the checkboxes. Only check the box next to ‘Messages’ now.
Scroll down to the bottom of the same page and click ‘Request a download.’
It will display that the file is being produced. When it is finished, you will be notified via email. If you don’t have your Facebook information, go to the exact location and choose ‘Available files’.
After that, open the HTML document in your web browser and look for the deleted message from the chat.
