How to Recover Deleted Messages on Instagram

Did you delete an Instagram message and instantly regret it? Or did your finger slip and hit that delete button without reading the message? 

We know how frustrating that can be. Your clients feel that same pressure each time something important slips away. The good news is that those messages aren’t always gone forever, and there are still a few ways your clients might recover them. 

Figuring out how to recover deleted messages on Instagram gets a lot easier once you know the right steps. Keep reading and we’ll walk through the different ways you can help your clients recover deleted Instagram messages. 

Can You Recover Deleted Messages on Instagram?

While it’s not as simple as tapping an Undo button, there are a few ways you might recover deleted Instagram Direct Messages. Once you delete a message, it disappears from your inbox and won’t show up on your side anymore. 

But the deletion only happens on your client’s side. The other person in the chat can still see the messages unless they delete them as well. You might be able to recover deleted DMs if the device was backed up before the messages disappeared. 

4 Ways to Recover Deleted Messages on Instagram

Here are a few methods you can try to help your clients recover their deleted Instagram messages.

Restore Deleted Instagram Messages from Data

Instagram saves a wide range of activity. Some message data might still appear in a download if the conversation happened recently. If your clients already downloaded their Instagram data, they might still find the deleted DMs in the file depending on when the messages were removed. 

Here’s how to check your client’s Instagram data to see if any deleted messages are still in the file.

Step 1: Log into the Instagram app

Open the Instagram app and log into your client’s account. Then tap the Profile icon at the bottom right. Tap the menu icon at the top right, then select ‘Accounts Center’. 

Step 2: Navigate to the user activity section

Tap ‘Your Information and permissions”. 

Step 3: Create Instagram data files

After you open ‘Your information and permissions’, tap Export your information. Choose Create export. 

Pick the place where you want the file saved.

Select Device or External device. Confirm the export, then tap Start export.

You’ll also find the downloaded file includes the images tied to your client’s activity, which can be helpful when you’re putting content together. Knowing how to make a collage on Instagram makes it easier to repurpose those images into simple layouts.

Step 4: Download the data

Once the file is ready, Instagram sends the download link to the email connected to the account. The link arrives fairly fast, although bigger exports can take more time. 

The link expires after four days. If that happens, you need to create a fresh export. You’ll need to request another download if you miss that window. You can follow the same steps on Instagram Web since the export runs through Accounts Center.

2. Use Third-Party Data Recovery Apps

Another option is to try third-party data recovery apps, although the results can vary depending on what’s still stored on the device. Deleted data doesn’t disappear right away. Some files stay in the cache for a short time before the device clears them.

These tools scan your device for files that haven’t been overwritten yet and try to piece them back together. Most apps save the recovered files in a separate folder instead of putting the messages back inside Instagram. From there, you can look through the recovered files and decide what’s worth keeping.

Just be careful about which app you choose and take a moment to read reviews to make sure it’s legit before you download it. Stick with tools that protect your clients’ data and avoid anything that feels risky or intrusive.

And make sure the app doesn’t break Instagram’s rules, since that can lead to problems later. It matters because breaking those rules can lead to limits on the account or even removal.

3. Check the Email Linked to the Instagram account

If your clients have email notifications turned on, they might see a preview of the message in their inbox, but Instagram won’t send the full DM content. 

It can help for a quick reference, but you can’t restore deleted Instagram messages from email. If the messages still don’t show up after trying the main recovery steps, you can check the Instagram Help Center or reach out to support.

Ask Recipients for a Copy of the Deleted Messages

Another simple option is to ask the recipient if they still have the messages on their end. You can DM them and ask if they can share a screenshot or forward the parts of the conversation they still have.

It’s not the most convenient fix, but it usually does the job. Just look up the person in your client’s messages or use the Search bar, then reach out and explain what you’re trying to recover. If you ever need another way to locate someone on the app, learning how to use Instagram search by phone number can help you find the right account faster.

Common Scenarios That Lead to Deleted Messages on Instagram

Before you try to recover anything, it helps to understand why messages disappear in the first place.

Instagram messages can disappear for several reasons, and the situations that lead to it tend to follow familiar patterns. 

😬 Accidental Deletions

Accidents happen when you or your clients delete conversations without meaning to, only to realize later that the messages were important.  It can be tricky to navigate Instagram Messages, especially on smaller screens. That’s usually when fingers slip and messages disappear before you even realize what happened.

🧼Cleaning of Messages

It’s also easy to delete messages by mistake when you’re clearing out your clients’ Instagram inboxes. Just double check before clearing things out so you don’t delete conversations your clients still need.

🤦Intentionally Deleting and Immediately Regretting

Sometimes your clients delete messages in the heat of the moment, then wish they hadn’t. The good news is there are plenty of ways to get those messages back. 

❌Content Violations

Messages that violate Community Guidelines can get flagged, which may lead to removal.  If a DM gets reported for breaking Instagram’s rules, the platform can remove it. 

🛑 Spam Attacks

No one likes a spammer, especially in their Instagram inboxes. If someone keeps sending your clients unwanted messages, Instagram’s spam filters may step in and remove them. Understanding when to use Instagram restrict vs block can also help your clients control who reaches their inbox in situations like this.

😵Account Deletion

If your clients’ accounts get deleted without a backup, those messages usually can’t be recovered. 

💻Temporary Glitches

Like many social media platforms, Instagram isn’t perfect. Temporary glitches can also cause your clients’ DMs to disappear for a bit. Instagram messages that vanish during a glitch usually return once the issue is fixed.

Best Practices for Recovering Deleted Messages on Instagram

Here are a few practical tips that can make the recovery process a bit easier for you. 

• Act fast: As soon as you notice a message is missing, try the recovery steps right away because the chances of finding it can drop over time.
• Check message requests: Messages sometimes land in the Requests folder instead of the main inbox, so check there before assuming the message was deleted.
• Maintain regular backups: Encourage your clients to keep device backups on, since it’s one of the only ways to save older conversations if something goes wrong.
• Contact support: If nothing works, you can reach out to Instagram Support, though responses can vary depending on the issue.
• Educate your clients: Show them features like Unsend and Message Requests so they understand how messages move and how to avoid accidental deletions.

These habits make it easier to avoid losing important messages and give you a better chance of recovering anything that disappears.

Level up Your Instagram Game With Vista Social

Managing your clients’ Instagram conversations and daily interactions can get overwhelming, but Vista Social keeps everything in one simple workflow.

The platform gives you powerful SMM tools that simplify your work and help you manage everything more smoothly. 

1. The social inbox gives you one space where every comment and message shows up. Your team can tag a thread to mark its status, assign a task when someone needs to handle it, then follow updates as they happen so nothing gets overlooked or repeated.

2. Vista Social also gives you AI tools, including an AI Assistant that helps you write posts faster by creating captions and descriptions for you. If you ever need a clearer view of how Instagram sorts Story views, this guide to Instagram Story Viewer Order can help you understand the pattern while you plan content. It also comes with an AI-powered username generator that helps you come up with new, on-brand Instagram handles. Vista Social also has a free hashtag tool as well, and it uses AI to suggest hashtags your clients can use right away.

3. A new link in bio tool and custom landing pages called Vista Page. You can build your client’s landing page with templates and editing tools, then add the link to their Instagram bio. It can turn their profile into a stronger space for traffic and conversions.

You can link out to anything your clients want to highlight, such as videos or key pages they want people to visit. 

4. An easy-to-use social media publisher that helps you upload your clients’ content and personalize each post before setting it to publish by itself. If you’re working with vertical videos, understanding Instagram Reels dimensions gives you a clearer way to format everything before you schedule it. 

If your clients prefer using photos, understanding how to make a Reel with photos gives you another way to repurpose their visuals.

Vista Social lets you schedule Instagram Stories, Reels, Carousels, plus other in-feed posts your clients use. 

Vista Social has more advanced features, including a content calendar for seamless planning. You’ll see all your clients’ posts on the calendar, whether they’re already published or still in progress. And if you’re juggling unfinished posts, having a good handle on Instagram drafts can make the whole process smoother. 

The platform also has robust Instagram reporting and analytics so you can track your clients’ content performance and audience activity. 

Start your Vista Social account to see the platform’s features in action.

It also makes it easier to handle conversations in a steady flow while you follow each important message with clarity. You stay organized in a way that keeps anything from slipping through the cracks again.

FAQs on How to Recover Deleted Messages on Instagram

Here are some common questions people ask about recovering deleted Instagram messages.

1. Can you undelete Instagram messages? 

No, but you can try the recovery methods above to bring some messages back.

The good news is that Instagram lets you restore certain content from the Recently Deleted folder in your account settings, including posts and Stories.

Anything in Recently Deleted stays there for 30 days before it’s removed for good. Stories that aren’t archived disappear in 24 hours. 

2. Are deleted Instagram messages gone forever?

If there isn’t a backup and none of the recovery steps work, the messages are probably gone for good. 

3. Can you recover deleted Instagram messages if the account is connected to Facebook?

No, since chats are not synchronized across Facebook and Instagram.

4. Can you recover unsent messages on Instagram?

No, since messages your clients or the other user unsends get deleted from both ends and can no longer be retrieved. 

Your clients might see an unsent message in their device notifications if they caught it before clearing them, but that’s usually the only chance to view it.

5. What do I do if my Instagram downloaded data doesn’t have the messages I want to recover?

If the downloaded data doesn’t include the messages you’re looking for, they were probably removed from Instagram’s servers already.

Your best bet is to try to recover them using a reputable third-party app that can search your device’s cache and retrieve deleted messages from Instagram.

6. Can I recover Instagram messages sent in Vanish Mode after they disappear?

You can’t recover or view messages sent in Vanish Mode since Instagram removes them once the chat is opened. It’s built for quick, temporary conversations, so nothing stays stored. 

They won’t appear in Instagram’s downloaded data either, since Vanish Mode messages aren’t stored. 

7. Can you mute Instagram messages?

Yes, you can mute messages from a specific sender or Instagram user by following these steps:

• Tap the Messages icon on the Instagram app
• Select the Instagram chat with the person your client wants to mute 
• Tap on the Instagram profile name at the top of the message and select Mute. You can mute calls and messages from the person by sliding the toggle switch off

The steps look almost the same on both Android and iOS. You can also mute messages from another user without opening the chat. 

Simply tap and hold the Instagram name as it appears in Messages and select Mute messages or Mute calls. 

Remember that muting someone’s messages will also quiet their calls and their Stories. It will not affect their posts. None of these actions will change anything about Instagram Notes.

Your clients can still see the other users’ Notes on Instagram even if they won’t be notified if the person sends your clients a DM. 

If you’ve ever wondered why certain accounts appear higher in your lists, Instagram following list order can help explain how those placements are decided.

8. Can you edit Instagram messages after sending them?

Yes. Instagram lets you edit Instagram messages within 15 minutes from sending them. 

Follow these steps to edit Instagram messages:

• From the Instagram conversation, tap and hold the recently sent message 
• Select Edit (You won’t see this option if 15 minutes already passed) 
• Edit your message’s text and tap the icon to update the message within the chat

You and the recipient will see an Edited label above the message you edited in the chat. 

Keep in mind that the recipient might read the message before you get the chance to edit it. Reported messages show the edit history, and you can’t edit anything that includes commands or mentions. You can edit each message up to five times within the 15-minute window.