Can iMazing recover deleted messages?

iMazing is a powerful iPhone and iPad management tool that allows users to easily back up, transfer, and manage their iOS devices from a computer. Unlike iTunes, iMazing provides more control over individual data types, such as messages, photos, contacts, and apps, making it a popular choice for users who want flexibility and precision in managing their device data.

One of the most common problems iPhone and iPad users face is accidentally deleting important text messages or iMessages. Losing these messages can be stressful, especially if they contain valuable information, sentimental conversations, or work-related data. Many users wonder if there is a reliable way to get these deleted messages back.

What is iMazing?

iMazing is a powerful iPhone and iPad management software for macOS and Windows. It allows users to manage, backup, transfer, and restore data from their iOS devices without relying solely on iTunes or iCloud. It’s designed for both casual users and advanced users who want more control over their device data.

Main Features

Message Management: View, export, and back up SMS, iMessages, and WhatsApp messages.
File Transfer: Easily transfer photos, music, videos, and documents between your iOS device and computer.
Device Management: Install apps, manage contacts, and organize files on your device.
Backup Control: Create full or partial backups of your device, with options for encrypted backups for added security.
Restore Options: Restore entire backups or selectively restore data like messages, photos, or contacts.

Backup and Restore Capabilities

Full Device Backup: Save everything from your device, including messages, photos, apps, and settings.
Selective Backup: Back up specific data types, like only messages or contacts.
Encrypted Backup: Protect sensitive information such as passwords and health data.
Restore Flexibility: Restore a full backup or choose only certain types of data to recover.

Device Compatibility

Works with iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch running iOS or iPadOS.
Compatible with the latest iOS versions, as well as many older versions, making it a reliable tool for both new and older devices.
Compatible with macOS and Windows, so users aren’t limited to one platform.

Can iMazing Recover Deleted Messages?

iMazing is a powerful iOS device management tool, mainly designed for backing up, transferring, and managing data on iPhones and iPads. One of the questions users often ask is whether iMazing can recover deleted messages, such as SMS, MMS, or iMessages. The answer depends on whether a backup of the device exists.

iMazing’s Message Recovery Approach

iMazing does not work like a traditional “undelete” software that scans your iPhone’s internal storage for deleted files. Instead, it relies on backups either created with iMazing itself or imported from iTunes/iCloud. When you back up your device, iMazing saves a snapshot of all your data, including messages. Recovery works by accessing these snapshots and restoring the deleted messages from them.

In simple terms: iMazing can only recover messages that were included in a backup before they were deleted.

Different Scenarios

If You Have a Backup (iTunes or iMazing Backup)

If you previously backed up your iPhone using iMazing or iTunes, deleted messages can be recovered by restoring or browsing that backup.

Steps generally involve:

Connecting your device to your computer.
Opening iMazing and selecting the backup containing the messages.
Browsing or exporting the messages from the backup.
Restoring them to the device if needed.
This method is reliable because backups preserve your messages exactly as they were at the time of the backup.

Without a Backup

If no backup exists, iMazing cannot recover deleted messages.

iMazing doesn’t scan the iPhone’s internal memory for deleted data like some specialized recovery tools claim to do. Once messages are deleted and no backup exists, they are permanently lost from the device.

Key Clarification

iMazing cannot recover messages deleted without any backup.

If you want to recover deleted messages in the future, the best practice is to create regular backups using iMazing or iTunes. This ensures that even if messages are accidentally deleted, they can still be restored from a previous backup.

How to Recover Deleted Messages Using iMazing

iMazing is a powerful iPhone and iPad management tool that allows you to access backups, export data, and restore deleted messages provided you have a backup containing the messages. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Connect Your iPhone/iPad to Your Computer

Use the original USB cable (or a high-quality replacement) to connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer.
Unlock your device and, if prompted, “Trust This Computer” to allow iMazing access.
Ensure your iPhone/iPad remains connected throughout the process to avoid interruptions.

Step 2: Launch iMazing and Select Your Device

Open iMazing on your computer (available for both Windows and macOS).
Your connected device should appear in the left sidebar.
Click on your device to open its management dashboard.
You’ll see options like Backup, Messages, Photos, Music, and more.

Step 3: Access Backups or Messages Section

If you have a previous iMazing or iTunes backup:

Click on Manage Backups.
Select a backup that was made before the messages were deleted.
If you want to browse messages directly from the device:
Click on the Messages tab.
iMazing will display your current and backed-up messages, including conversations from the backup.

Step 4: Browse or Export Deleted Messages

Once you’ve opened a backup or the Messages section:

Scroll through the conversation list to locate the deleted messages.
iMazing allows you to preview messages before exporting.

To save messages outside your device:

Click Export and choose the format (PDF, CSV, or Text).
This ensures you have a safe copy of your deleted messages for reference.
Step 5: Restore Messages to the Device (If Needed)

If you want the messages to appear again on your iPhone or iPad:

Select the conversations you want to restore.
Click Restore to Device.
Confirm the action. iMazing will merge the restored messages with your existing messages on the device.
After completion, check the Messages app on your iPhone/iPad to ensure the deleted messages have been restored.

Additional Tips:

Always use the latest version of iMazing to ensure compatibility with your iOS version.
If a backup is encrypted, you will need the password to access messages.
Keep multiple backups to prevent permanent loss of important messages in the future.

Cannot Recover Permanently Deleted Messages Without Backup

iMazing relies on the data stored in backups to recover deleted messages.
If a message was deleted from your iPhone and there is no backup containing that message, iMazing has no way to retrieve it.
This is because iMazing does not access the iPhone’s internal memory directly for deleted data it can only extract what exists in the backup files.
Example: If you deleted a message yesterday and never backed up your iPhone, iMazing cannot recover it.

Backup Must Include the Messages Before Deletion

Even if you have backups, timing is crucial:

Only messages that were present on the device at the time the backup was created can be recovered.
If the backup was made after you deleted the message, it will not include the deleted messages, so iMazing cannot restore them.
Tip: Always create regular backups to ensure your most recent messages are included.

Some Messages May Be Partially Lost if the Backup Is Old

Older backups may not have all the messages you want to recover:

Messages received after the last backup will be missing.
Group chats may show missing participants or partial message history.
Multimedia messages (images, videos) may not be fully restored if the backup did not include media files.

Preventing Future Message Loss

Losing important messages can be frustrating, but there are effective ways to minimize the risk. Here’s how you can protect your iPhone or iPad messages:

Enable Automatic iCloud Backups

What it is: iCloud automatically saves a copy of your iPhone’s data, including messages, photos, app data, and settings, to Apple’s cloud servers.
How it helps: Even if your device is lost, damaged, or messages are accidentally deleted, you can restore the backup and recover your data.

How to enable:

Open Settings on your iPhone/iPad.

Tap your Apple ID at the top → iCloud → iCloud Backup.
Toggle iCloud Backup on and tap Back Up Now to create the first backup.
Ensure your device is connected to Wi-Fi and charging for automatic daily backups.
Pro tip: Keep enough iCloud storage space, as messages and attachments can take up space quickly. You can upgrade your plan if needed.

Use iMazing for Regular Encrypted Backups

What it is: iMazing allows you to create local backups on your computer, which can include messages, call history, contacts, and app data.
Why encryption matters: Encrypted backups protect sensitive data (like messages) with a password, and they ensure iMazing backs up all message content, including attachments.

How to do it:

Connect your iPhone/iPad to your computer via USB.
Open iMazing and select your device.
Click Back Up → enable Encrypt Backup → set a password.
Schedule automatic backups to occur daily, weekly, or monthly.
Benefits: Even if iCloud fails or is full, you have a secure copy locally. You can also browse and export messages at any time.

Export Messages Periodically if They Are Important

What it is: Exporting allows you to save important conversations separately as PDFs, CSV files, or text documents.
How it helps: Even if a message is deleted from your device or backup, you still have a personal copy.

How to export using iMazing:

Open iMazing and select your device.
Go to Messages → select the conversation you want to save.
Click Export → choose PDF, CSV, or Text.
Save it to a secure folder on your computer or cloud storage.
Tip: Export messages from important conversations regularly (monthly or quarterly) for added safety.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can iMazing recover permanently deleted messages?

No. iMazing cannot recover messages that were permanently deleted if there is no backup. Only messages included in a backup can be restored.

How do I know if my messages are in a backup?

You can check in iMazing by connecting your device and going to Backups > Messages. If your deleted messages appear there, they are in the backup. You can also check iCloud backups in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups.

Can I recover messages from an old iPhone backup to a new device?

Yes. iMazing lets you restore an old backup to a new device. You can restore all data or just messages. Be careful restoring a full backup can overwrite existing data on the new device.

Is iMazing safe for message recovery?

Yes. iMazing is safe and works within Apple’s backup system. Your data stays private on your computer. Always use the official iMazing version and don’t disconnect your device during recovery.

Conclusion

iMazing can be a powerful tool for recovering deleted messages, but its effectiveness depends entirely on the existence of a backup. Without a prior backup whether created via iMazing, iTunes, or Finder deleted messages cannot be retrieved. This highlights the importance of maintaining regular backups to safeguard not just messages, but all important data on your iPhone or iPad. By being proactive and scheduling frequent backups, preferably encrypted for added security, you can prevent permanent message loss and ensure that even if mistakes happen, your important conversations remain safe and recoverable.