Too Curious? Here’s How To Read Deleted WhatsApp Messages

When you delete a sent message to someone on WhatsApp, the recipient gets an intimidation that “the message has been deleted”. This often leaves the recipient curious about what was deleted.

Senders often use the “Delete for Everyone” feature to correct mistakes or retract content. However, there are ways in which the recipient can read the deleted WhatsApp messages using features like notification history, chat backups, and third-party apps.

In this article, we will guide you on how to read deleted WhatsApp messages. 

Read Deleted WhatsApp Messages on Android 

You can check and read deleted WhatsApp messages on  through the following method. 

Using Notification History

Android devices running version 11 and above support a Notification History feature. This tool logs all notifications received, enabling users to access deleted WhatsApp messages.

1. Open Settings on your Android phone.
2. Go to Notifications and select Advanced Settings .
3. Tap Notification History and toggle it on.
4. Once enabled, your phone will log incoming WhatsApp messages, even if they are deleted.
5. To view them: Return to Settings > Notifications > Notification History and read through the recorded messages.

 

Note: This method only logs messages if the notification was received. Therefore, the muted chats won’t appear.

Using WhatsApp Chat Backup

WhatsApp provides a Chat Backup feature, allowing you to read deleted WhatsApp messages if a backup was created before deletion. Backups can be created manually or automatically on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule.

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
2. Set the backup frequency to an appropriate interval.
3. Go to your phone settings, find WhatsApp and uninstall it.
4. Download and install WhatsApp from the Google Play Store.
5. Open WhatsApp, verify your phone number, and tap Restore when prompted to retrieve chats from the backup.

Note: New messages received after the backup and before deletion will not be restored.

Using Third-Party Apps

There are several third-party apps that are designed to save notifications and can help read deleted WhatsApp messages. These apps store incoming notifications, including those that have been deleted.

1. Download and install the third-party app from the Google Play Store.
2. Launch the app and grant it permission to access notifications and storage.
3. Open the third-party app whenever you want to view deleted messages from WhatsApp.

Read Deleted WhatsApp Messages on iOS

You can read deleted messages on WhatsApp using  iCloud Backup and iTunes Backup. Here’s a step-by-step procedure:

Using WhatsApp iCloud Backup

WhatsApp offers iCloud backup integration on iOS, making it possible for iPhone users to read deleted WhatsApp messages.

1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
2. Check the date and time of the last backup to ensure it contains the deleted messages.
3. Press and hold the WhatsApp app icon, then tap Delete App.
4. Download WhatsApp from the App Store.
5. Open WhatsApp, verify your phone number, and follow the instructions to restore chats from iCloud.

Note: Restoring from iCloud replaces current chats with the backup data.

Also Read: WhatsApp Introduces Selfie Stickers, Camera Effects, And More Exciting Updates

Using iTunes Backup

If you back up your iPhone regularly using iTunes, you can retrieve deleted WhatsApp messages by retracting to an earlier backup.

1. Connect your iPhone to a Mac or PC.
2. Open iTunes or Finder on macOS Catalina
3. Select your device from the sidebar.
4. Click Restore Backup and select the backup file containing the deleted messages.
5. Wait for the process to complete.

Note: In this method, any new data after the backup will be lost.