Can you see deleted text messages on android

You can easily retrieve deleted text messages on Android without a computer using third-party applications like Dr. Fone, X-Plore File Manager, SMS Backup+, or Google One’s backup option from your drive.

I panicked when I accidentally deleted an important text message on my Android phone. I dived deep and tried multiple methods to retrieve the deleted SMS. The Dr. Fone app was one of the best to use because of their simple layout and easy-to-use interface.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to use Dr. Fone, or other similar apps, for effortlessly recovering deleted text messages on Android without computer.

  • How To Recover Deleted Text Messages On Android Without Computer?
  • 1. Dr. Fone App
  • 2. Restore: Recover Deleted Text Messages App
  • 3. X-Plore File Manager App
  • 4. Undeleter Recover Files & Data App
  • 5. Google One
  • 6. SMS Backup+ App
  • 7. SMS Backup & Restore App
  • What Happens To A Deleted Text Message On Android Devices?
  • Tips To Remember About Recovering Deleted Text Messages On Android Without Computer
  • Don't Download Anything New To Your Device
  • Act Immediately
  • Use Reliable Recovery Apps
  • Don't Restart or Reboot Your Android Phone
  • Backup Your Device Regularly
  • In Conclusion

How To Recover Deleted Text Messages On Android Without Computer?

There are several ways to retrieve deleted messages on Android without computer.  You can do this by using third-party applications or your drive backup. 

You can retrieve the deleted messages because Android doesn’t permanently delete them immediately. They’re permanently deleted only when the space occupied by the deleted text messages is required for other data. In that case, Android overwrites them and you can’t recover your messages once that’s done.

Here are eight ways to recover deleted text messages on your Android phones without hassle.

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Can you see deleted text messages on android

1. Dr. Fone App

Follow these steps to retrieve deleted text messages using the Dr. Fone application:

  1. Go to the Android play store and download the Dr. Fone app on your Android phone.
  2. Launch the app on your phone and tap on Recovery.
  3. Now, click Messages Recovery.
  4. The application will scan your phone and show you all your deleted files. Tap on the messages you want to recover. 
  5. You'll now be able to see them on your phone.

2. Restore: Recover Deleted Text Messages App

Follow the steps below to retrieve deleted text messages using the Restore Deleted Text Messages application.

  1. Download Restore: Recover Deleted Text Messages to your Android device from the play store.
  2. Open the application and select Recover.
  3. Tap Allow on the prompt that appears to give access.
  4. Now, you can see an SMS backup file. Tap on it.
  5. The app will now show you a list of all your deleted messages. Tap on the message you want to recover.
  6. You'll see two options—Copy and Recover. Click on Recover to recover your message.

3. X-Plore File Manager App

Note that this method doesn't work for all devices. Feel free to skip this method if you can't find the mail folder.

  1. Go to your play store and download the X-Plore File Manager app.
  2. You need to open the mail folder. This is where you can find your messages.
  3. In case you don't see this option, go to the menu tab and select Tools, followed by Configuration. This will enable you to see all your hidden folders. You can find the menu folder now.

4. Undeleter Recover Files & Data App

This method requires your phone to be rooted. However, rooting your Android device is not advisable as it opens it up to vulnerabilities and voids your warranty in most cases. Skip this method if you don’t want to risk rooting your Android device.

  1. Download the Undeleter Recover Files & Data app from the Android app store.
  2. Tap on Restore File or the Restore Data option.
  3. Select the application to restore the data from. In this case, tap on Messages since you want to restore a text message.
  4. You'll now see two scanning options. Journal Scan and Deep Scan. Choose either one as both options would be able to retrieve your deleted SMS.
  5. Wait for the scan to be completed. Once it's done, you can see the list of deleted text messages. Choose the messages you want to restore.
  6. This will restore lost text messages on Android without computer.

5. Google One

You can use Google One to backup your Android device. This not only backs up text messages or SMS but also your files, photos, call logs, apps, and app data, device settings, etc. You don't have to worry about security because all backups to your Google account are securely encrypted. Here's how you can backup your Android device with Google One.

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Scroll down to the bottom and select Google.
  3. Your primary account will show up. If you want to change your account, press the dropdown icon next to your email ID to change to a different Google account.
  4. In the SERVICES ON THIS DEVICE section, tap on Backup.
  5. At the bottom-right corner of your screen, you can see a blue Turn on button.
  6. Click the Back up now button to start your backup.

Here’s how you can restore your backup to recover deleted messages. Note that you have to factory reset to restore your backup.

  1. Open the Settings app. Click on Back up and reset.
  2. Tap on Erase all data (factory reset). You might be prompted to enter your lock screen PIN or password.
  3. Your phone will now restart. Wait for the Android OS to be reinstalled.
  4. Once the factory reset is completed, launch the Settings app.
  5. Go to the Back up and reset option again. 
  6. Tap Google and sign in to the same Google account you’ve backed up your device’s data.
  7. Enable the toggle for all the data you want to sync.
  8. Tap on Restore all synced data to retrieve your text messages on android without computer.

Note that this uses your Google Drive's storage. So, you get only 15GB of storage if you have a free account. You need to buy more storage for your Google Drive account to upgrade your storage.

6. SMS Backup+ App

You can use this method if you've backed up data to your Gmail account. If you've not already done this on your Gmail account, you can use this method for backups.

  1. Download the SMS Backup+ app from the play store.
  2. Open the app and select the Connect option.
  3. Select the Gmail account and click Allow to give access.
  4. Tap the Backup option to backup the SMS app.
  5. Wait for the app to backup messages onto your Gmail account.
  6. You can now see a label called SMS in your Gmail.
  7. Open the app again and tap on Restore. This will restore all your messages on Android without computer.

7. SMS Backup & Restore App

  1. Download the SMS Backup & Restore app from the play store to your Android device.
  2. Click Prepare Backup.
  3. You can see various options like messages and calls. Tap on Messages.
  4. Now, choose where you want to send the backup. You can see Google Drive, Dropbox, and your internal storage. Pick one and click OK.
  5. You must now log into your account. For instance, if you chose Google Drive, you must log in to your Google account.
  6. Backup your data and check to see your retrieved messages on Android without computer.

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What Happens To A Deleted Text Message On Android Devices?

Contrary to popular belief, when you delete a text message on your Android phone, it doesn't permanently delete the message from your phone. It will usually be deleted permanently because you don't visibly see a recycle bin in your phone that stores all your deleted files.

However, Android keeps them stored in the phone memory hidden from you. The deleted messages can be overwritten with new data. Until Android needs the space held by the deleted messages, it doesn't permanently delete them.

Note that if the deleted message has been overwritten, it can't be recovered.

Can you see deleted text messages on android

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Tips To Remember About Recovering Deleted Text Messages On Android Without Computer

Don't Download Anything New To Your Device

As you know, deleted messages are only hidden to free up memory space and be overwritten. You can only retrieve deleted text messages as long as they're not overwritten. 

Once you download anything on your phone, it might overwrite the deleted text messages for space. So, if you've deleted anything by accident, make sure you don't download anything new to your Android device.

Act Immediately

If you've deleted something by mistake, like text messages, you can recover them as soon as possible. Don't postpone the data recovery process as you might forget and accidentally download new things to your phone that might overwrite the deleted text messages. Always remember to recover deleted data quickly to avoid accidental overwriting 

Use Reliable Recovery Apps

When you accidentally delete important messages, don't rush to use the first data recovery application that you come across. Downloading unreliable applications can infect your phone with malware or viruses, causing privacy issues. To avoid this, always ensure you choose a trustworthy app.

Once you go to the play store, check for the app's ratings and reviews. If the app doesn't work as it says, or causes any other issues, chances are it's on one of the reviews. Read the app reviews carefully before downloading the app. You can also check for the number of downloads. The more downloads there are, the safer it's to use.

Android, by default, scans your apps using Android's Play Protect  regularly. If you've downloaded a new application, you can also manually scan by clicking on your profile and selecting Play Protect, followed by Scan. Play Protect scans your apps to detect any harmful behavior. Once the scan is completed, Android will notify you if any security risks are found.

Don't Restart or Reboot Your Android Phone

Sometimes, it will still be stored in your cache memory when you delete a text message. If you reboot your Android device before you recover text messages, the data may be wiped off it. Therefore, always reboot or restart your device once you recover deleted texts. This will increase your chances of recovering the messages.

Backup Your Device Regularly

To keep your important data secure and avoid any data loss, always ensure that you regularly backup your Android phones. In the event of accidentally deleting data like your text messages, files, or photos, you can just recover data by restoring your latest backup.

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In Conclusion

If you ever delete your text messages by accident, you now know how to recover deleted texts on Android without a computer. You can recover deleted text messages on Android by restoring your backup, or you can use a third-party application. Use any of the above eight methods to recover deleted messages. 

Keep in mind that you should recover deleted text messages immediately to avoid overwriting. Always remember to use a reliable application for data recovery to avoid privacy issues. Back up your Android devices regularly to avoid data loss.

Can deleted text messages be retrieved?

If you simply delete a text, they are still available. And there are common forensics tools used by both law enforcement and civil investigators to recover them.

Where are deleted SMS stored on Android?

The Android operating system stores text messages in the phone's memory, so if they're deleted, there's no way to retrieve them. You can, however, install a text message backup application from the Android market that allows you to restore any deleted text messages.