How to See Deleted Messages on WhatsApp?

Accidentally deleted or lost important Messages on WhatsApp? You may wonder how to recover or see deleted Messages on WhatsApp. This article will provide you with effective methods all tested. Let's take a quick look !

How to See Deleted Messages on WhatsApp?

1Through WhatsApp Notification History

The message notifications often record all received WhatsApp messages even if you later delete them. As long as the phone notification allows you to receive and preview WhatsApp messages, you can see deleted messages in your notification log.

However, Android's notification history only keeps notifications for 24 hours. So, if you need to see deleted WhatsApp messages older than 24 hours, we recommend using AirDroid WhatsApp Monitor.

Here’s how to check WhatsApp deleted messages from Android’s notification history:

Step 1. In the "Settings" app, search for and tap on "Notification history."

Step 2. Locate the WhatsApp section and you can view received WhatsApp messages.

You should be able to view all original messages received on your WhatsApp after taking the steps above, even if the sender of those messages deleted them.

2With AirDroid WhatsApp Monitor

As we stated above, AirDroid works well to see message records from a long time ago. Once you set up the app, you can view all the message records without any other operation. Here's how to use AirDroid WhatsApp Monitory:

Step 1. Download the AirDroid Parental Control app from the Play Store or App Store.

Step 2. Follow the in-app prompts to connect the device that you need to check the deleted messages on WhatsApp.

Step 3. Now, go to "Notifications" and search for "WhatsApp" to check incoming deleted WhatsApp messages.

All past WhatsApp messages will be displayed in the notification center. In addition, AirDroid Parental Control can position in real-time, filter inappropriate content, restrict app usage, etc. Come and explore it!

3By Restoring WhatsApp chats backup

WhatsApp can automatically back up your chats daily, weekly, or monthly to your phone's cloud, which includes a comprehensive history of your chats. You can also tap Back up to make a manual backup.

If you have backed up your WhatsApp data before deleting the messages and the backup isn't overwritten, you can probably recover them. But please also kindly noted that restoring the cloud backup will lose new WhatsApp data after the backup time point.

Follow the steps below to see if you have a backup file of WhatsApp chats !

Step 1. Open the WhatsApp app and enter its setting menu. We are now in the settings of WhatsApp. Find "Chat" option in drop-down list.

Step 2. You will see "Chat Backup", click to enter. Here it shows the date of the last backup, which will determine how far back you can restore your WhatsApp chat history.

For example, if you sent or received the messages on Jan 18th and your last backup is made on 20 Jan 11:41:

• Recoverable (backup includes message):

  Jan 18th: Sent or received the messages → January 20 11:41: Backup → January 21: Deleted the message.

• Unrecoverable (message no longer exists at the time of backup and the backup will overwrite older backup):

  Jan 18th: Sent or received the messages → Jan 19th: Deleted the message → January 20 11:41: Backup.

4By Recovering WhatsApp Messages from Google Drive

Once a backup WhatsApp is made, the backup file will be stored in your Google account. If you have not backed up WhatsApp before or have chosen never to back up, you can follow the steps below to check if you have a backup file in your Google Drive.

Step 1. Log in to your Google account and go to Google Drive see your backup file of WhatsApp messenger.

Step 2. Click the gear icon to enter the account settings interface.

Step 3. Find "Manage Apps". The previously backed up WhatsApp files will be displayed in the list.

This step is just to ensure that you have the previous WhatsApp backup file. If you want to see the deleted WhatsApp messages, you also need to restore the backup file to the target phone.

Step 4. Go back to your phone and make sure Google Drive is turned on in the sync settings of your Google account.

How to Recover WhatsApp Messages from Google Drive backup ?

Step 1. Find the Google option in this setting of phone. Then click "Manage backup".

Step 2. Below "Backup details", find "Google Account Data". Find Google Drive and make sure the sync function is turned on.

Step 3. Now you can uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp on your phone, select "Restore" when the first prompt appear when you open WhatsApp App.

Step 4. Then log in to your WhatsApp account on your phone and see if you can see the deleted messages WhatsApp.

5Via iCloud Backup

As mentioned above, on iPhone, the backup files of WhatsApp will be stored in the iCloud account. If you have backed up your WhatsApp messages, you can see the deleted WhatsApp message by restoring the backup.

Follow the following steps to restore WhatsApp messages:

Step 1. Confirm you have backed up a backup files in WhatsApp App. Open the WhatsApp app and click the gear icon on the right. Find "Chats" > "Chat Backup".

Step 2. Make sure the backup switch is turned on in iCloud. Open Settings on your phone and click on your profile picture to enter iCloud.

Step 3. All previously backed up apps will be displayed in this list. Check if WhatsApp is in the list.

Step 4. All confirmed, then delete and reinstall WhatsApp to see deleted WhatsApp messages.

The above steps are to view deleted WhatsApp messages on an iPhone. Hope this helps you!

6Via iTunes Backup

Another Way to see the deleted messages on WhatsApp on an iPhone is by restoring iTunes backup. You need to:

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to your computer and launch iTunes on your computer.

Step 2. Click on the device icon and select Summary.

Step 3. Under Backups, click on Restore Backup.

Step 4. Choose the backup containing your WhatsApp messages and click Restore. Then wait for the restoration process, and then open WhatsApp on your iPhone.

You cannot recover deleted WhatsApp messages on iPhone without any backup iTunes or iCloud. Even a third-party software can not achieve this without backup files.

Bonus: How to Backup WhatsApp Messages before Deleting?

To back up WhatsApp messages before deleting them, you can use the WhatsApp Backup feature. This feature allows you to back up your chats and media to your phone's memory or, depending on your phone's settings, to Google Drive or iCloud.

How to Backup to Google Drive

This is how you can backup your messages to Google Drive:

Step 1. Open WhatsApp and tap More options > Settings > Chats > Chat backup.

Step 2. Tap Back to Google Drive and select a backup frequency. You can back up your chats daily, weekly, monthly, or only when you tap Back Up.

Step 3. Select the Google account you want to use for backups. If you don't have a Google account, tap Add Account and follow the instructions to create one.

Step 4. Tap Back Up to manually start the backup process. You can also enable Include videos if you want to back up your video messages.

How to Backup to iCloud

Here's how you can use backup your chats on your iPhone:

Step 1. Open WhatsApp and tap Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.

Step 2. Tap Back Up Now to manually start the backup process. You can also enable Include Videos to back up your video messages.

Step 3. You can also enable Auto Backup and choose your backup frequency. You can back up your chats daily, weekly, monthly, or only when you tap Back Up Now.

Step 4. Ensure you are signed in with your Apple ID and have enough space on your iCloud account. If you don't have an Apple ID, tap Create a new one and follow the instructions to create one.

Final thoughts

Through the notification center or the previous backup of WhatsApp messages, you maybe able to see deleted WhatsApp messages. The above are the effective methods we tried, and I do hope you can benifit of them.

You may try the all-around WhatsApp Tracker to tracking all the conversations on WhatsApp.

FAQs about Seeing Deleted Messages on WhatsApp

1. How to Read Deleted Messages on WhatsApp Web?

Elsa

No, you cannot read deleted messages on WhatsApp Web as annoced officially. Also it's impossible to read deleted messages on WhatsApp Windows version and Mac version. Deleted WhatsApp messages can only be recovered on mobile phones.

2. Does Deleting a Chat on WhatsApp Delete It Permanently?

Elsa

Deleting a chat on WhatsApp does not delete it permanently, as it may still be stored in your chat backup or in your phone’s memory. If you want to delete a chat on WhatsApp permanently, you need to delete it from both your phone and your chat backup.

3. How to Retrieve Deleted Messages on WhatsApp Sent by Someone?

Elsa

You can see deleted messages on WhatsApp sent by someone by using its reply feature. When you reply to a message, it will show you the original message along with your reply even it has been deleted. If you want to recover deleted messages, you‘d better follow the detailed guide above.