It can be quite frustrating to lose all your direct messages on Instagram. Whether you have deleted them accidentally or you’ve just logged in and found that all of them are gone, the experience is equally devastating.
Instagram does not provide a backup for messages, unlike messaging apps like WhatsApp. That leads to the question, “Can I recover deleted Instagram messages?
Well, there are sure ways you can apply to help you recover your Instagram messages.
How to recover deleted Instagram messages
Each of the methods covered below can help you to retrieve your messages from Instagram.
Follow each one of them to the end until you have recovered all messages.
1. Ask the recipient
One of the easiest ways is to ask the recipient to send you the message thread if they have not deleted it on their end.
While this is the simplest method you can use, it works best for a specific kind of content. If you don’t find it convenient to ask your friend, try the next fix below.
2. Request your Instagram data
Your messages can get deleted from Instagram due to certain actions, such as a phone reset. Luckily, Instagram provides a way to download all your activities in one file.
This is essential to recover your deleted Instagram DM history.
To request your deleted messages from Instagram, follow these steps:
- On your device, log in to your Instagram account
- Open the profile section and click on ‘Settings.’
- Click on “Privacy and Security”
- Scroll down and select “Download Data.”
- Enter your email
- Click ‘Next’ and enter your password
- Click “Request Download”
Instagram will use the email to send all your account’s activities, including your deleted messages, within minutes to a day, depending on how much information your account holds.
This video shows the entire process in detail:
To view the messages, you can install an Instagram message recovery app such as the Json Genie text editor app from Google Store or App Store to help you open the file on Android, PC, and iOS.
3. Use Facebook
If you have connected your Instagram account to Facebook, you can easily recover your Instagram messages.
Follow these steps:
- On your device, log in to your Facebook account
- On the right side, select ‘Messages.’
- Click on the “Instagram Direct” icon
Upon completing this action, all your messages will appear, and you can find the deleted messages.
4. Use data recovery software
Was an important Instagram conversation deleted? There are a number of data recovery tools that can also come in handy in recovering deleted messages.
While you can find a few that are free to use, most of them will come at a fee. It is important to check reviews of each software before you consider downloading or using it.
Despite how badly you want your photos recovered, you shouldn’t trust sites that don’t have any positive reviews.
Otherwise, your information can be stolen or used for illegal activities on the web.
Can police recover deleted Instagram messages?
The platform protects your privacy and therefore, law enforcement cannot recover deleted messages on their own.
According to Instagram’s Law Enforcement information section, they would require a valid search warrant to provide your deleted messages.
They would also need to make a formal preservation request to compel Instagram to store your deleted messages, as the platform deletes information after a short time.
Instagram provides a fun way to express your ideas and keep in touch with your friends and loved ones.
Since we can’t imagine life without it, then this guide on how to recover deleted messages will come in handy anytime. Apply any of the above methods to ensure you don’t lose an important message or moment again.