Steps to Retrieve Deleted Text Messages from Android

A lot of times it can be just one unfortunate tap and all those text messages that you've been keeping for one reason or another are suddenly gone. It may be possible to recover those important text messages, this depends on how quickly you react and what type of software you choose to manage and retrieve deleted text messages on Android. With a really good one, like Disk Drill, you may even recover deleted text messages on Android after a factory reset! macOS Sonoma Ready!

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How to retrieve deleted text messages from Android
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One of the good things about Android phones is that they do not truly erase data until it is overwritten. The deleted data can still be accessed with an efficient recovery app like Disk Drill. The hard part is to find a reliable app that does what it promises: retrieve deleted text messages on Android phones.

With Disk Drill you can access your rooted Android device's storage and restore data from its internal memory or an SD card.

What Can Cause Android Messages to Disappear?

Android messages don’t disappear without reason. Here are some of the most common reasons that may cause Android messages to become inaccessible:

User error

User error

Android users are just as prone to making mistakes when using their devices as everyone else. Particularly bad mistakes may even end up with important messages disappearing and being nowhere to be found.

Buggy apps

Buggy apps

There are many third-party text messaging apps available to Android users. Unfortunately, not all of these apps are equally reliable. Some contain serious bugs that may cause Android messages to disappear.

Malware

Malware

Because of its open nature, the Android mobile operating system is targeted by many dangerous strains of malware, some of which are capable of wiping your text messages and other data.

Factory reset

Factory reset

When you perform a factory reset on your Android device, you restore it to its original state, which means that all settings changes and data become deleted, including your messages.

Physical damage

Physical damage

Android text messages, just like all other data, are stored on a small flash memory chip. When this chip becomes damaged, you can consider your messages to be gone for good.

Faulty OS update

Faulty OS update

While rare, Android operating system updates can go wrong, especially if your device is rooted. The consequences of a faulty OS update can be severe and include the loss of text messages.

How to Recover Deleted Text Messages on Android?

You can recover deleted text messages on Android using an Android-compatible data recovery software application like Disk Drill.

1. Download and Install Disk Drill

Start by downloading Disk Drill from its official website. The application is free to try, and it works great both on older and the latest Mac computers. The installation process is straightforward: just open the downloaded file and follow the instructions.

Download and Install Disk Drill

2. Connect your Android device and launch Disk Drill

With Disk Drill installed, you can go ahead and connect your Android device to your Mac. Keep in mind that the device must be rooted, and the USB Debugging option must be turned on. Then, launch Disk Drill and give it the necessary permissions to scan your Android device.

Connect your Android device and launch Disk Drill

3. Scan the Android device and recover your data

Navigate to the Android Devices section. Your Android device should be listed there, so go ahead and select it. Click Search for lost data to scan your device. Wait for the scan process to finish and go through recoverable files. Choose what you want to recover and click Restore.

Scan the Android device and recover your data

Ways to Recover Deleted Text Messages on Android without Specialized Software

Besides using specialized software to recover deleted text messages on Android, you should also consider the following recovery methods.

Way 1

Recover Deleted Messages from Backups

As long as your text messages are backed up someplace safe, you should be able to recover them without any major issues. For example, you can follow these instructions to recover Android data after a factory reset from your Google account:

  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Select Backup and Restore or a similar option.
  3. Enable the backup feature and sign in to your Google account if you haven’t done so already.
Recover Deleted Messages from Backups
Way 2

Use Android SMS Recovery App

If your text messages are backed up using an Android SMS recovery app like SMS Backup & Restore, then restoring them should be easy:

  1. Launch SMS Backup & Restore.
  2. Tap the hamburger menu icon.
  3. Select the Restore option.
  4. Choose the latest backup that contains the lost text message.
  5. Complete the recovery process.
Use Android SMS Recovery App
Way 3

Pay for Professional Data Recovery

Everything from a smashed display to a broken USB connector can make it impossible for you to access your text messages. Unfortunately, these and other types of physical damage are very difficult to address at home.

In most situations, it’s better to pay for professional data recovery instead of risking making the situation even worse. Professional data recovery can be considerably more expensive than DIY data recovery solutions, but the indirect cost of losing important text messages can be even costlier.

Pay for Professional Data Recovery

How to Protect Your Android Text Messages

It’s always better to prepare than be sorry later. The following four methods can help you protect your Android text messages against data loss.

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated on by Disk Drill Team

Can you recover deleted messages on Android without root?

Yes, you can undelete text messages on Android devices that are not rooted. For example, you can restore text messages from Google online backups or recover them from a local backup created by a third-party backup solution.

Can you recover deleted text messages on Android?

In many situations, it’s possible to recover deleted text messages on Android from backups or using data recovery software like Disk Drill.

Where are deleted text messages stored on Android phones?

Deleted text messages are stored in a hidden system folder that’s not readily accessible. Until they become overwritten, it’s possible to perform SMS recovery using specialized software.

How can I retrieve deleted text messages from my Android without backup?

If you don’t have a backup of your deleted text messages, then you can still attempt to recover them using data recovery software like Disk Drill.

How can I retrieve deleted text messages from my Samsung Android?

Text messages on Samsung devices can be backed up to Samsung Cloud, so that should be the first recovery option you should consider. You can also use data recovery software like Disk Drill, which can recover lost data from any Samsung smartphone or tablet.

Is it possible to recover deleted text messages on Android without a computer?

Performing SMS recovery without a computer is certainly an option, but your recovery options will be limited to local and cloud backups.

The best method to recover deleted text messages on Android

Disk Drill is great at recovering files on many devices. You can use Disk Drill to recover deleted text messages on Android, iPhone and many other devices. In addition to text messages, Disk Drill can also recover images, contacts, videos and much more. See a full list of files that Disk Drill can recover on your Mac, Windows, Android and iOS devices:

How to recover deleted text messages on Android

Wondering how to recover deleted text messages on iPhone? Disk Drill will help.

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