If you happen to lose your important Instagram direct messages, you would want to know how to recover deleted Instagram messages. If someone deletes your important IG pictures, you will want to know how to recover deleted Instagram photos and even save them to your iPhone or Android phone.
If you want to recover your deleted Instagram messages or pictures, this article is for you. We will focus on showing you how to see deleted direct messages on Instagram and how to get back you deleted Instagram pictures. However, first, let’s see whether it is actually possible to recover the messages and pictures.
Part 1: Can You Recover Deleted Instagram Pictures and Messages?
Contrary to what most Instagram users think, deleted messages and pictures are recoverable. Although you may not be able to see the pictures and messages after they have been deleted, with the right tools, recovering the messages should be possible.
There are, however, things you can do to increase the chances of you getting your deleted pictures and messages back. The most important thing you will need to do is stop using your iPhone or Android device. If you keep using your device after losing your important data, you will be increasing your chances of overwriting the lost data. If the lost data gets overwritten, you may not have the ability to recover it.
Part 2: How to Recover Deleted Instagram Direct Messages?
Retrieve Instagram DM with Software
If you want to recover your deleted Instagram messages, one of the easiest ways of doing this is by making use of third-party software that monitors the activity taking place on the Android or iOS device. This can be equated to spying on someone else.
To serve as an example, if you suspect that your kids are communicating with sex predators who target underage kids on Instagram, you can use a spying tool to access all their messages, including the ones they have already deleted. This can help you figure out whether you need to talk to your kids and offer them advice that can help them avoid sex offenders who approach kids online. Below, we will show you how to see deleted direct messages on Instagram using spyware known as Spymaster Pro.
On Android
Step 1: Download and Install Spymaster Pro on the target device. Purchase your license.
Step 2: If you have already created a Spymaster Pro account, simply log into your account from your computer web browser.
Step 3: Now, you will be able to see each and every message sent to and from the Android device on which you installed Spymaster Pro. The messages will include even the deleted ones.
On iPhone or iPad
When monitoring Instagram messages on a device running on iOS, you won’t have to install the tool on the target device. All you will need is the iCloud credentials for the target iPhone. If you have access to these credentials, follow the steps outlined below:
Step 1: Log into your Spy Master Pro account on your computer.
Step 2: Use the target iPhone Apple ID and password to log into iCloud.
Step 3: You should be able to see all the Instagram messages, including the deleted messages.
Note: If you want to recover your deleted Instagram messages using a spy tool such as Spymaster Pro, make sure that what you are doing is legal. If you are using spyware to spy on another adult’s phone, you could end up with lawsuits if you get caught. Spying on underage kids, however, is legal.
Perform Instagram Message Recovery without Software
If you do not want to recover your deleted Instagram messages using spyware, there are other options that you can use. We have outlined the options below:
Use an Online Tool
An online tool that makes it possible for Instagram users to recover deleted messages is available. The developer behind the Instagram message recovery site previously worked at Instagram. This means that there is a high probability of the tool working. To learn how to use the Instagram message recovery site to get your lost Instagram messages, follow the steps we have outlined below:
Step 1: Visit the Instagram message recovery site by following this link: https://assisttechie.com/ig-messages-recovery/
Step 2: Next, enter your Profile URL or Username.
Step 3: Tap Recover Messages.
Step 4: Finish the Human Verification. This is to prove that you are not a robot.
Step 5: The Instagram message recovery site should scan your Instagram account to locate your deleted messages. You can download your recovered messages in the form of a zip file.
Note: While some people have reported that the Instagram message recovery site was able to recover their messages, there is no guarantee that it will work for you.
Using the Data Download Option
To use this message recovery option, you will need to use either a PC or a Mac. While a smartphone can work, it will make the whole process slow. To learn how to recover deleted Instagram messages via the Data Download option, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Log into your Instagram account and then visit Account Settings > Download Data.
Step 2: Enter your username and password. Instagram will start gathering your Instagram account data.
Note: This option will only help you recover messages on Instagram for the direct messages that are currently open. To give you an example, if you intend to recover messages on Instagram from an old friend, the Data Download option will only work if the friend is still in your direct messaging list.
Step 3: After gathering your data, Instagram will send a link to the email address you used to create your Instagram account.
Step 4: Open your email address and click on the link to download your Instagram data in the form of a Zip file. If asked to log in to your Instagram account before downloading your data, use your username and password.
Step 5: Extract the Zip file.
Step 6: Locate “messages.json” and open it with your text editor or a different compatible computer application. Now, you should be able to see all the messages you had sent in the past.
Step 7: To search through the messages, simply open the search bar on the application you are using to view the “messages.json” file and then type the username of the individual whose messages you wish to view.
Part 3: How to Recover Deleted or Lost Instagram Photo or Videos?
Now that you are familiar with how to recover deleted Instagram messages, we will go ahead and show you how to recover deleted Instagram photos. Not all of the solutions we have outlined below will work for you. Therefore, make sure you try more than 1 solution if the first one fails to work.
Use the Data Download Option
To use this solution, you will need to follow steps 1 to 5 under “Using the Data Download Option” in Part 2 above. After unzipping the Zip file, you will need to explore the folders to see if you can find your deleted pictures.
Check the Photo Albums
The photos you upload to Instagram are usually backed up on your smartphone. If you have not deleted the photos from your phone albums, they should be still available. To locate the pictures, you can check in the:
- Phone’s gallery
- Camera roll
- Downloads folder
- Any other location on your smartphone where you save your photos
Locating Instagram Photos on an Android Device
If your smartphone runs on Android, you should be able to access your deleted pictures by following the steps we have outlined below:
Step 1: Open My Files > Pictures.
Step 2: Select the Instagram folder. Check to see if your deleted Instagram pictures are available in this folder.
Finding Instagram Photos on iPad and iPhone
Step 1: From the device Home Screen, open the Photos application.
Step 2: Click on Albums > Recently Deleted.
Step 3: Locate the deleted Instagram picture and select it. Click Recover.
Use the Instagram Archive Feature
The “Archive Posts” feature was launched back in 2017 by Instagram. It makes it easier for Instagram users to hide the posts they do not want others to see. There is always the chance that you archived a picture and later thought that you had deleted it. Before you panic, you can check your archives to see if you can find your picture. Follow the steps below to check the archive:
Step 1: Visit your Instagram Profile page.
Step 2: On the top-right corner, click the clock icon (with a counterclockwise arrow). This will show your archived posts.
Note: If you archive your posts automatically, you may need to click the drop-down arrow next to Archive and then select stories.
Step 3: To unarchive a post, tap on the photo and then tap the three-horizontal dots on the top-right corner.
Step 4: Choose Show on Profile.
Use a Third-Party Data Recovery Tool
If none of the methods outlined above work for you, you can use a third-party data recovery tool to get your lost pictures back. Third-party tools can help you extract deleted data from your smartphone provided that the data is not overwritten. If you use an iOS device and you do create backups, you can find a tool that has the ability to extract pictures from your backup and restore them without overwriting the currently available data.
Data recovery tools are easy to use. All you will need to do is install them on your Mac or PC, launch them, and then follow the onscreen instructions after connecting your device using a USB cable. While data recovery tools do have free trial versions, you will have to pay to access all the features necessary to recover your data.
Summary
This article actually shows you how to recover deleted Instagram messages. We have also shown you how to recover deleted Instagram photos. If one of the methods outlined above fails to work for you, you can always try the next one to perform the Instagram message and photo recovery.
