How to Find Deleted Messages on Messenger in 2026

Losing a conversation on Messenger can feel frustrating. Maybe you deleted a chat by mistake, or someone removed a message before you could read it. The good news is that there are several ways to how to find deleted messages on messenger in 2026, and many of them are easier than you think.

• Table Of Contents
• Can You Recover Deleted Facebook Messages
• How to Find Deleted Messages on Messenger
• Method 1. Check Archived Chats
• Method 2. Download Your Facebook Data
• Method 3. Check Notification History
• Method 4. Check Android Storage
• Method 5. Restore Your Phone Backup
• Method 6. Try Another Logged In Device
• Method 7. Use VigilKids (Highly recommended)

Can You Recover Deleted Facebook Messages

Yes, there is still a chance to get your messages back. Before jumping into the methods, it is important to understand how Messenger handles deleted chats.

There are three types of deletion:

• 1.You archived a chat instead of deleting it. This is the most common mistake and is completely recoverable.
• 2.You deleted a message, but it still exists in a backup or stored data. This can sometimes be recovered.
• 3.You permanently deleted the message and it is gone from Facebook's servers. In this case, recovery is harder, but you can still try several methods below.

Messenger does not always remove things instantly. Some copies may remain in archives, device storage, backups, notifications or Facebook's downloadable data.

How to Find Deleted Messages on Messenger

Below are all the practical methods you can try to recover or view deleted conversations on Messenger.

Method 1. Check Archived Chats

Messenger sometimes hides conversations when they are archived, which makes them appear deleted even though the full chat is still stored in your account. This often happens when someone accidentally swipes a conversation or taps the archive option without noticing, so the chat simply moves out of the inbox.

• Step 1. Open Messenger and tap your profile photo.
• Step 2. Select Archived Chats.
• Step 3. Look through the list to find the missing conversation.
• Step 4. Tap the chat to open the full message history.
• Step 5. Send a message or unarchive it to return it to your inbox.

Method 2. Download Your Facebook Data

Some deleted messages remain stored in Facebook's data backup for a while, even after they no longer appear in the Messenger app. By downloading your Facebook information, you may find older conversations saved in HTML or JSON files. This works especially well for people who delete chats often or use multiple devices.

• Step 1. Open Facebook and navigate to Settings and Privacy.
• Step 2. Tap Settings and then open Your Facebook Information.
• Step 3. Select Download Your Information.
• Step 4. Choose Messages and submit the request.
• Step 5. Wait for Facebook to prepare the file, then download it.
• Step 6. Open the downloaded folder and look for your conversations in the Messages section.

Method 3. Check Notification History

When Messenger sends a message alert, Android may store the preview for a short time. Even if a sender deletes the message or removes it from the chat, the notification preview may still be available in your device's notification history.

• Step 1. Open the Settings app on your Android device.
• Step 2. Search Notification History.
• Step 3. Turn it on if needed.
• Step 4. Open the notification list and scroll to Messenger.
• Step 5. Read any previews saved in the last twenty four hours.

Method 4. Check Android Storage

Messenger creates temporary files on your phone, such as cached images or message fragments. Although modern versions store far less data than before, some older files or thumbnails may still be available.

• Step 1. Open your file manager app.
• Step 2. Go to Internal Storage.
• Step 3. Open Android, then Data.
• Step 4. Look for the folder named com.facebook.orca.
• Step 5. Open the Cache folder and browse the files.
• Step 6. Move any file you want to review into another folder before opening it.

Note: The success rate for this method is low. Because of how modern systems store data, you are more likely to find cached images, videos, or thumbnails, not full, readable text messages. Think of this as a last chance effort.

Method 5. Restore Your Phone Backup

If your phone created a backup before you deleted the messages, the older Messenger data may still be included. Restoring a backup can bring those conversations back, although it will replace your current data with the older version. This method works only if you regularly back up your phone.

• Step 1. Check Google Drive (Android) or iCloud (iPhone) to see if you have a backup from before the deletion.
• Step 2. Review the backup date and confirm it is earlier than the deletion date.
• Step 3. Reset your device if you want to restore the backup.
• Step 4. Log in with your Google or Apple ID during setup.
• Step 5. Choose the older backup to restore your phone.
• Step 6. After setup, open Messenger to check for the recovered chats.

Warning: This step will erase your current phone data. Restoring an old phone backup will permanently delete all new data you have created since the backup date. This includes new photos, contacts, and app changes. Please carefully think about the cost before you do this.

Method 6. Try Another Logged In Device

Messenger does not always sync changes across every device immediately. If your account is still signed in on another phone, tablet or computer, the chat you deleted might still appear there because the app has not refreshed yet. This is one of the simplest ways to check how to look at deleted messages on messenger without using any extra tools. Just open Messenger on the other device and look through the conversation list. If the chat is still visible, you can read the remaining messages or save anything important before the app updates.

Method 7. Use VigilKids (May Help You See Deleted Messages)

If you’re a parent trying to keep your child safe online, you may want a clearer record of what was sent or received on their phone. In some cases, VigilKids can help you see message traces that were already captured before they were deleted on the monitored device. This is not a guaranteed “recovery” tool, but it can increase your chances of viewing information that would otherwise disappear.

Important: Results depend on device settings, permissions, and whether the content was captured before deletion. If a message was deleted before any data was recorded, it may not be visible.

• Step 1. Create a VigilKids account
  • Go to vigilkids.com and click Try Now.
  • Sign up using Google, or register with your email and password.
• Step 2. Bind your child’s phone to your dashboard
  • Log in to your parent dashboard at https://my.vigilkids.com and click Add Device to generate a pairing code.
  • On the monitored phone, install the VigilKids Assistant app from https://www.vigilkids.vip, then enter the pairing code to complete setup.
  • Follow the prompts to enable required permissions so the dashboard can capture activity records.
• Step 3. Check for message traces in your VigilKids dashboard
  • Open your VigilKids dashboard and go to the Messages section to review captured message activity.
  • If the device recorded the content before it was deleted, you may be able to view parts of the conversation even after it was removed on the phone.
  • Use the timeline and filters (if available) to locate the day and time when the messages were sent or received.

Conclusion

Recovering deleted messages on Messenger is not always simple, you now have a better chance to understand how to find deleted messages on Messenger and recover what matters.

Want a clearer record of the messages your child receives across apps? VigiKids can help you capture activity traces and message records, so you can understand what was sent even if the conversation was removed later.