When you delete an iMessage, it’s permanently erased from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and can’t be recovered. If you have made a backup with iCloud or iTunes before deleting the messages, then you may be able to restore the deleted messages from the backup.
How to Delete an iMessage
To delete an iMessage, open the Messages app and find the conversation that contains the message you want to delete. Swipe left over the message (from right to left), then tap Delete. If you want to delete all messages in a conversation, tap the Delete button , then tap Delete Conversation.
When you delete a message, it’s permanently erased from your device. You can’t recover deleted messages.
How to Tell If Someone Deleted Your iMessage
If you suspect that someone has deleted your iMessage, there is no surefire way to tell. However, if the person has deleted the entire conversation, then it’s likely that they have also deleted your message.
Another clue is if you see empty bubbles where messages should be in the conversation; this usually indicates that the other person has deleted something. Keep in mind that there could be other explanations for why messages are missing, such as if the person has turned off iMessage or if they’re experiencing a problem with their device.
If you’re still not sure, you can try asking the person directly if they deleted your message. It’s possible they may not even remember doing so, or they may be trying to avoid admitting it.
If all messages are gone from a particular contact, and you’re not blocked, then they have probably deleted the entire conversation.
How to Recover Deleted iMessages
If you’ve accidentally deleted an iMessage or even an entire conversation, don’t panic! There are a few ways you can try to recover your lost messages.
First, check to see if you have a recent backup of your device with iCloud or iTunes. If you do, you may be able to restore your deleted messages from the backup.
If you don’t have a backup, or if you can’t recover your messages from the backup, then you can try using a third-party data recovery tool. These tools can often recover deleted data from your iPhone, even if it’s been permanently erased.
Finally, if you still can’t recover your messages, then you can try contacting Apple Support. They may be able to help you recover your lost data.
Do iMessages Delete Themselves
No, iMessages do not delete themselves automatically. Usually, when you delete a message, it’s permanently erased from your device. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule.
For example, if you use iMessage to send a photo or video to someone, and they don’t have the same app installed on their device, then the photo or video will be automatically deleted after 30 days.
Additionally, if you use iMessage to send a photo or video to someone who has the “Low Quality Image Mode” setting enabled, then the photo or video will be automatically deleted after two minutes.
Finally, if you use iMessage to send a message to someone who doesn’t have an Apple device, then the message will be automatically deleted after four days.
These are the only exceptions to the rule that messages are permanently deleted when you delete them. In all other cases, messages will be permanently erased from your device.
