Backtracking DMs: How To See Deleted Messages on Instagram

There are many reasons why someone might be curious to know how to see deleted messages on Instagram. Maybe you were in klutz mode and accidentally deleted a chat while trying to open it. Or maybe during a fight with a friend, you got rid of messages in the heat of the moment. But is there a way to salvage these direct messages, or are they lost to the Instagram servers forever?

There’s nothing more regretful than deleting messages without meaning to and not being able to access them later on. That’s why we came up with this guide on how to see your deleted messages on Instagram. Keep scrolling to see your options, and get those chat messages back on your screen!

Is There a Way To See Deleted Messages on Instagram?

No. As of writing, there’s currently no in-app feature on Instagram that lets users go through deleted messages. When you delete messages or entire chat conversations on the app, they’re gone forever. There’s no way to retrieve them just by playing around with the Instagram app.

Instagram designed direct messages this way to protect people’s privacy and the integrity of messages they wanted gone. If you think about it, it’s terrific because no one gets to see messages you regret sending. However, this poses a problem for emergencies and accidental deletion.

So, is there a way to see deleted messages on Instagram? Technically, no. But we’ve got more than a few tricks up our sleeve to help you get access to your old DMs again.

How To See Deleted Messages on Instagram: 3 Key Tips

The Instagram platform might not give users an easy way to recover deleted messages. But don’t worry—we’ve got your back with a few workarounds you can try out. Here’s how to see deleted direct messages on Instagram in three smart and sneaky ways.

1. Download Your Instagram Data To See Old DMs

Instagram is known not just for being careful with user data but for safekeeping it too. The platform’s privacy policy states that after something is deleted from the app, it’s kept for 90 additional days. This is important in case there are emergencies and server errors that require users to look back on old content.

So, it’s no surprise that Instagram also allows people to dig up their comprehensive historical data and activity, including DMs. That said, our first tip for how to find deleted Instagram messages is to download that data. Here are some detailed steps on how to do that:

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile.

2. Click the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) at the top of the page to go to your settings.

3. Tap Your activity.

4. Scroll to the bottom and choose Download your information. A pop-up menu in the Meta Accounts Center should appear.

5. Select Download or transfer information.

6. If you have multiple Instagram pages, choose which account you want to draw information from.

7. Since all you want to see are old messages, choose Some of your information.

8. Tick the box labeled Messages, then hit Next.

9. Select Download to device and tap Next.

10. Choose the email address you want notified when the download is ready. Then, click Create files.

When you receive an email notification that your data is available, download it. You can then look through the file to see all your old direct messages, including ones from deleted conversations. Note that the data download file won’t include unsent messages.

Pro tip: Regularly back up your messages using this data download method. Transfer your files to your Google Drive or any other backup drive in case you need it later.

2. Use a Third-Party Data Recovery Program Like Disk Drill

Our next tip for how to look at deleted messages on Instagram is to use a third-party app. When you delete messages from a device, they’re not instantly permanently deleted. Your device will still hold on to some of those cache files for a while. A trusted third-party recovery tool can help you retrieve those files so you can read through old DMs.

One tool that can help immensely with retrieving deleted messages is Disk Drill. This program allows you to download old, deleted data from your device. Then, you can read the data through a database browser (we recommend DB Browser for SQLite).

Here’s how to use these handy recovery tools to find deleted Instagram messages, step by step:

1. Download the Disk Drill app to your desktop.

2. Connect your mobile device to your computer and scan its data using Disk Drill.

3. After the scan, your data will be divided into categories like audio, documents, archives, and more. Select Others.

4. In the search bar, type in “Burbn.” This will show you all of the old Instagram files on your device.

5. Copy and paste all those files into a separate folder on your computer.

6. Open any of those files with DB Browser.

7. Click the Browse data.

8. Tap the Table drop-down menu and select Messages. You should see some old messages there.

3. Ask the Person You Were Messaging for a Copy of Your DMs

Now, this final tip might be a little embarrassing, but desperate times call for desperate measures. You can simply ask the other person to show you your old direct messages.

If you delete an entire Instagram chat from your end, it will still show up in the other person’s inbox. Only unsending individual messages will make DMs disappear from the other user’s end.

To see your deleted chats, ask them to send you some screenshots of the exact messages you need to see. It’s a pretty easy favor to do for someone; you just have to muster up the courage to ask. Plus, this is the fastest and least tedious and technical way to see old DMs.

How To See Recent Deleted Messages on Instagram

Have you just gotten rid of important messages a few regretful moments ago? If so, you’re probably wondering how to see recent deleted messages on Instagram.

If you know your Instagram features, you’re probably privy to the “Recently Deleted” tab in the IG archive. This feature allows you to restore content like photos and videos you’ve deleted in the last 30 days. Sadly, the “Recently Deleted” tab doesn’t include chat messages, so you can’t see deleted DMs there.

But if you have an Android device, not all hope is lost. One trick to seeing recently deleted messages is checking your Android device’s notification history. This will show you the most recent notifications you received on your phone, including Instagram DMs. Hopefully, those notifications will still show you messages you’ve already deleted from the app.

How To Recover Instagram Messages Sent in Vanish Mode

Vanish mode on Instagram allows you to send disappearing messages and photos to other people. To enter Vanish Mode, just swipe up on a DM and send your secret messages there. When you leave vanish mode, all the messages that had been previously sent there will disappear forever.

So, if you’re looking to learn how to recover Instagram messages sent during Vanish Mode, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Instagram doesn’t retain Vanish Mode chat history. That means those messages and photos are permanently deleted, and you won’t be able to access them anymore.

Other Tips for Keeping Copies of Important IG Messages

Hate the hassle of retrieving deleted messages? Here are some tips to keep in mind to ensure you never have to go through it again:

• Take screenshots of important conversations you have on Instagram.
• Copy and paste long, critical DMs into your phone’s Notes app for safekeeping.
• Never delete messages while you’re emotional, lest you regret it later.
• If someone shares an IG post with you via DM, bookmark it right away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Manage Your Expectations When Retrieving Deleted IG DMs!

It’s extremely challenging to recover old messages on Instagram you had previously deleted. If you’re lucky, one of the tips above will work perfectly, and you can review old conversations again.

Knowing how to see deleted messages on Instagram is undeniably important. However, your Instagram experience shouldn’t revolve around digging up old texts. You should still put most of your time and resources into growing your online presence. Path Social can help you out with that.

We use AI and proprietary targeting tools to promote your content to the people it will resonate with most. Our organic methods put your brand on the map, helping you attract more followers. The best part is that these followers are 100% authentic, never bots. So, what are you waiting for? Grow your Instagram presence with Path Social now!