How to Recover Deleted Text Messages and Photos on Android

Have you accidentally deleted your important message from your Android phone and trying to recover it? Then this post is for you. Unlike Gmail and WhatsApp, where the deleted emails and messages are recovered from bin or backup, it is harder to recover deleted messages from the default Android messaging app. It is because Android doesn't provide a native recycle bin or backup feature.

This article will discuss some methods and tips that may help you to recover deleted text messages on an Android smartphone, along with some tips that prevent it from happening again.

Recover Deleted Text Messages on Android SmartPhone

Recovering the deleted text messages on an Android smartphone is quite a tricky job. Whenever you delete a message, it's marked to be overwritten with new data, and it is almost impossible to recover. When you feel such a mistake, immediately turn your phone into Airplane Mode until you find a way to message (data) recovery. You also have to avoid using the camera and any other apps that can create new data. The settings to enable "Airplane mode" may vary from device to device.

How to Recover Deleted Text Messages and Photos on Android

Ask Sender/Recipient

It is the primary and low-cost method to get your accidently deleted important messages. If the other side person (sender/receiver) still contains the deleted messages on his or her phone, then ask them to forward the same message or request for the screenshot to you. However, this is not always possible. If such a situation occurs, you can try any of the below-given methods.

Recover Messages and Photos via Google Backup

If you previously activated Google Drive backup on your Android smartphone, there may be possible that backup may contain your deleted text messages and photos. Follow the below-mentioned steps to restore your backup on Google Drive:

  1. Launch Google Drive on your smartphone.
  2. Click on the menu icon (three lines) button available at the top left corner.
  3. Choose the "Backups" option.
  4. Now, check whether your message has been backed up.
How to Recover Deleted Text Messages and Photos on Android

Backed-up Android data on Google Drive can also be restored by logging into a new device. To retrieve your backed up messages on another Android phone, follow the below steps:

  • Sign in to your Google account using another smartphone.
  • Tap on the "Restore" to restore your backup on your Android device.
  • Finish your setup steps and check the device messages folder.

If previously you haven't activated your "Google Drive" backup, you can activate it using the below-mentioned steps and start a fresh backup.

How to Recover Deleted Text Messages and Photos on Android
  • On your Android smartphone, launch the Settings app, scroll down and click on Google.
  • Click on the Backup
  • Activate the toggle option "Back up to Google Drive" and connect an account you want to backup.
  • If you also want to keep the backup of your Android device's photos, enable Google Photos.
  • Click on the Back up now.

Google Drive stores all messages in an archive; you can't search for a single message and can't restore just one. It will update your all text history in single steps to previous settings. In the meantime, if you received any important messages, use the below techniques to store them.

For multi-media messages or MMS like photos, repeat this process using Google Photos, which mostly comes with an Android smartphone. If you were previously enabled to Google Photos backups, you would find your deleted photo stored on there.

If the above method doesn't work, you can use third-party apps to restore your deleted text messages and photos.

Restore Deleted Messages and Photos via Third-Party apps

Another method to recover deleted text messages and photos using any third-party data recovery tools (applications). You will easily find several data recovery tools in the market. Some of them are EaseUS MobileSaver, Dr.Fone, Undeleter, FonePaw Data Recovery, etc. Most of these third-party tools are paid or require root to recover your deleted messages (including other data like photo, video, audio, etc.). Instead, there is no guarantee of output results. You have to try them to see whether they work for you.

FonePaw Android Data Recovery

FonePaw is a data recovery application that allows recovering deleted data from an Android smartphone. Follow the given steps to recover deleted text messages and photos using the FonePaw application.

  • Download the FonePaw Android Data Recovery application and install it on your PC.
    How to Recover Deleted Text Messages and Photos on Android
  • Now, launch the application and connect your computer and Android device using a USB cable (enable USB debugging).
    How to Recover Deleted Text Messages and Photos on Android
  • Now, select the "Messages" option on the screen and click "Next." It will check device information completely.
    If you also want to recover your deleted photos of your Android phone, select "Gallery" and "Picture Library."
    How to Recover Deleted Text Messages and Photos on Android
  • The FonePaw Data Recovery application automatically installs the FonePaw app on your Android phone.
  • Now, allow the app to read your device messages on your personal computer.
  • Select the messages which you want to recover and tap on the "Recover."
    How to Recover Deleted Text Messages and Photos on Android

SMS Organizer (cloud backup facility)

How to Recover Deleted Text Messages and Photos on Android

It is always recommended to use an SMS app that gives us a cloud backup facility. You will find numerous SMS client apps on Google Play Store, but most of them have privacy issues or contains ads.

One of the suggested apps to recover deleted text messages is SMS Organizer from Microsoft. It allows you to keep back up of all your text messages over Google Drive regularly. If you mistakenly delete your messages, the SMS Organizer app recovers all your deleted messages only with one click. It also facilitates to recover data after reset of your device, reinstall the SMS Organizer app and login with your account and recover your deleted messages.

Download the SMS Organizer app for Android devices.

SMS Backup & Restore

How to Recover Deleted Text Messages and Photos on Android

SMS Backup & Restore is another most popular message backup app that gets a 4.5 rating and over 5 million downloads on Google Play Store. The app is free to download and use that contains tons of good features. Initially, this app stores your text messages in XML format, and also it saves your data both locally and cloud. The app also supports Google Drive, Email and Dropbox. To make it more interesting, you will also schedule automatic updates and not forget to manually store your messages.

Download SMS Backup & Restore for Android

Easy Backup & Restore

If you are searching for such an app that covers a bit more than just text messages, go for the Easy Backup & Restore free app. This app provides a full-featured solution that restores text messages, MMS, calendar, call logs, dictionary contacts and more. The app also supports SD cards, Google Drive, Gmail, OneDrive and even Dropbox. Users will also schedule automatic updates of messages and other data, and it also handles other apps and apps data.

Download Easy Backup & Restore for Android