Can I restore accidentally deleted texts/iMessages?

October 9, 2013 3:12 PM

Like a moron, I just accidentally deleted a bunch of texts/iMessages from my iPhone 4 (not 4S). Is there any way to get them back? I'm backed up with iCloud. I've googled and looked at old AskMes but don't understand what I found. I need simple explanations.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

Best answer: Go to settings>icloud>storage & backup

What shows as the last backup? if it was BEFORE you deleted them flip the "icloud backup" switch off, connect the phone to a computer with itunes, and click "restore" on the page about your phone. It'll ask if you want to make a backup, click no.

After it finishes erasing, enter in your username/password on the now wiped and at the "welcome" screen phone and select "restore from icloud" at the next screen.

When it finishes, all your texts will be back.

If the last backup is newer than the time you deleted the messages at, then yea, you're boned.
posted by emptythought at 3:28 PM on October 9, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks for the super-clear instructions, emptythought. I had no problem following/understanding them!

I made sure the backup was there and flipped the switch to "off" immediately, and as soon as I came home from work and was at my home computer, I started the restore. It'll be a while before I can tell you if it worked, because I have to update my iPhone (I was avoiding it) and it'll take 2 hours to do, apparently, but I wanted to tell you I'm going to try it out and hopefully it'll work! Thanks. I'll let you know how it goes.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 8:06 PM on October 9, 2013

Response by poster: IT WORKED!! The update to iOS7 took forever, but...my messages are back!! And once my phone was updated, restoring to the iCloud backup was relatively painless. (The update itself: painful. But that's probably what I get for having an older phone.)

Thank you so much!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 11:07 PM on October 9, 2013 [1 favorite]