How to Recover Deleted Messages from Instagram

Dave Johnson September 17, 2023

Have you ever deleted an Instagram direct message and then wished later you hadn’t? Well, the good news is that you can retrieve these messages. While Instagram doesn’t make its process to recover deleted messages outwardly apparent, it is relatively straightforward.

How to Recover Deleted Messages from Instagram

If you are looking for a way to recover your deleted Instagram messages, keep reading. This article covers some ways to retrieve your DMs that are quick and easy to follow.

Recover Deleted Instagram Messages using Instagram Data

Whether you prefer to keep things tidy and frequently cleaned up or accidentally delete your DMs, you may want to retrieve them at some point. There are a few ways to do this, the first being by using Instagram Data.

When you delete your messages, they disappear from your iOS or Android device but remain on Instagram’s servers. You can download this stored information using “Instagram Data,” including videos, photos, and messages. From this data, you can then extract your deleted messages.

Before we get started, it is essential to note that you must follow these steps on Instagram’s web page, as the mobile app does not allow for this process. Let’s get started:

Open the Instagram website in the browser of your choice, then sign in to your account if not already done.
Right-click your Profile icon in the screen’s top-right corner, then select Profile from the menu.
Click on the Edit Profile button.
Choose the Privacy and Security option from the pop-up menu on the left of the screen.
Scroll through the menu and locate the Data Download section. Click on the option beneath this header called Request Download.
Enter your email address in the text box and choose your download format (HTML or JSON), then click on Next.
Verify your identity by entering your password and clicking Request Download.
Instagram then sends a link that takes you to the data files you requested.
Check your email and find the message from Instagram with the subject, “Your Instagram information”. Click on the button labeled Download information.
The link takes you back to Instagram to download your data. Enter your login credentials, then click on Log In.
A page loads, giving you the link to obtain your data. Click on Download information.
Unzip the downloaded folder.
For the HTML option, go to messages -> inbox -> [named folder], then click on the message.html file. For the JSON option, skip to Step 15.
The opened file should display all messages stored on Instagram servers using the HTML format.
For the JSON option, browse for and open the file named messages.json with a text editor—you can right-click and choose Open With… or Edit with…
The opened file now displays all messages stored on Instagram servers using the JSON format.

All your messages on Instagram are now available in the “messages” folder of the zipped download.

It is important to note a few things with this method. First, Instagram can take up to 48 hours to send your data using email. Don’t be alarmed if the email does not arrive in your inbox immediately. Also, the link sent to you in the email expires four days after you receive it. If you click the link after four days of receiving the email, it won’t work, and you’ll need to repeat the steps above.

Using a Third-Party App

Lastly, you can recover deleted Instagram messages using a third-party app. You can download these apps from the App Store (for iOS users) or the Google Play Store (for Android users.)

These tools work by accessing the cache files on your iOS or Android device to retrieve deleted data and messages. The software allows you to recover various files, not just texts or DMs. These apps are relatively simple to use and come with easy-to-follow instructions that make it quick and easy to retrieve your deleted information.

While software such as the ones mentioned above can be helpful, researching the programs you plan to use is always a good idea. Many advertised options are scams. Hackers use these apps to access your personal information and social media profiles. Online Instagram Recovery Tools often form part of these scams. Downloading software such as those previously suggested is a far safer option.

FAQs: Recovering Deleted Instagram Messages

Why aren’t my DMs showing up in My Data?

If you don’t see certain DMs when downloading your Instagram data, it may be because you unsent them. If you did, they got wiped from the platform and may not appear in your data download.

Can I see the DMs I unsent in the recently deleted folder?

Unfortunately, no. Your “Recently Deleted” folder only contains posts, stories, and reels.

Wrapping Up

Recovering your deleted Instagram messages is simple once you know how to do it. The steps outlined in this article help make retrieving your data quick and simple. Whether you use Instagram Data or a third-party app, gaining your deleted DMs will take no time to obtain.