How to see deleted messages on iphone from months ago?

Can you see deleted messages on iPhone's Messages app for free?

In most cases, no. When messages are deleted, they are removed from the phone's storage and are not recoverable through the Messages app itself unless they are still cached temporarily or stored elsewhere.

This is the only built-in free method to see deleted messages on iPhone:

1. Open the Messages app
2. Tap "Edit" in the top-left corner
3. Select "Show Recently Deleted"
4. Messages deleted within the last 30-40 days may appear here
5. Select messages you want to recover

Why is this?

• iOS encrypts messages, and once deleted, they are typically overwritten quickly.
• The Messages app does not store a history of deleted messages.
• No free built-in feature allows viewing messages that have been deleted from the device.

Are there any exceptions?

• Recent messages or cached data:
• If you haven't used your device much after deleting messages, sometimes a very recent data cache might still display some info, but this is unreliable and typically only shows what's currently stored.

Using the Messages app alone, for free, there is no way to see deleted messages on iPhone after they are gone. The best prevention is to regularly back up your device or use messaging apps that support message history or archiving.