Video messages can provide that extra personal touch to keep in contact with friends and family. However, accidentally deleting an important video message on your iPhone can be frustrating. The good news is that with the right tools and techniques, you can often recover recently deleted video messages.
Can you retrieve deleted video messages on iPhone?
Yes, it is possible to retrieve deleted video messages on your iPhone, at least in some circumstances. The key factors are:
- How the video message was originally sent – via SMS/MMS, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger etc
- How soon you try to recover the deleted video message
- Whether you have backed up your iPhone prior to the message being deleted
If you act quickly, there are various ways to try to retrieve a deleted video message on an iPhone, depending on the app it was sent through. However, the longer you wait, the lower your chances of being able to get that video back.
How are video messages stored on an iPhone?
When you receive a video message on your iPhone, it is stored locally on the device storage. The exact location it is saved depends on the app it was sent through:
- SMS/MMS – Saved in the SMS/MMS database on the device
- WhatsApp – Saved in the WhatsApp folder in internal storage
- Facebook Messenger – Saved in the Messenger folder in internal storage
- Instagram – Saved in the Instagram folder in internal storage
So if you delete a video message sent via SMS, it will be deleted from the SMS database. A WhatsApp video message will be deleted from the WhatsApp folder, and so on.
Will deleted video messages still be in Recently Deleted?
If you delete a video message from within the app it was sent through, in some cases it may be temporarily moved to the Recently Deleted section:
- WhatsApp – Deleted media is stored in Recently Deleted for 30 days before being permanently deleted
- Instagram – Deleted photos/videos are kept for up to 90 days in Recently Deleted
- Facebook Messenger – No Recently Deleted folder, so deleted messages are permanently deleted
So for apps like WhatsApp and Instagram, you may be able to retrieve deleted video messages from Recently Deleted, as long as they have not been permanently removed.
Can you recover from an iPhone backup?
If you have backed up your iPhone to iCloud or iTunes before, you may be able to recover deleted video messages from a backup. Here is how it works for different backup methods:
iCloud Backup
- Open Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups
- Tap on your device name and select Restore to recover your device from the iCloud backup
- This will recover media like video messages from WhatsApp, Messenger etc
iTunes Backup
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes
- Select your device and click Restore Backup to restore from your iTunes backup
- Previous media like video messages will be restored
However, bear in mind this will overwrite your current device data. Also, if you have backed up after deleting a video message, it won’t be part of that backup.
Can you use data recovery software?
Specialist iOS data recovery software provides another option to retrieve deleted video files from your iPhone storage. It works by scanning your iPhone for residual files left behind when content is deleted.
Some features of data recovery apps:
- Recovers deleted media files like video messages and photos
- Allows previewing recovered videos
- Retrieves data directly from an iPhone without needing a backup
- Works even if you have backed up your iPhone after deletion
The easiest data recovery apps can retrieve deleted video messages with just a few clicks. However, recovery success rates depend on how long ago the video was deleted.
Data Recovery Software Options
| Software | Price | Ease of Use |
| iMyFone D-Port Pro | $49.95 | Very Easy |
| FoneDog Toolkit | $49.95 | Easy |
| iSkysoft Toolbox | $49.95 | Moderate |
Can you recover from non-Apple cloud services?
For video messages sent through third party apps, the app developer may provide their own cloud backup service you can recover from if you accidentally delete a video.
For example:
- WhatsApp – Videos are backed up to Google Drive or iCloud. You can uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp to restore cloud media.
- Telegram – Has its own Telegram Cloud. You can log in on another device to access deleted telegram media.
Check if the app you use has its own cloud backup service that keeps copies of your deleted videos online.
Tips to avoid losing video messages
To avoid needing to recover deleted videos in the future:
- Back up your iPhone regularly to iCloud or iTunes.
- Double check before deleting any videos or media.
- Save important video messages you receive to your Camera Roll.
- Make use of cloud backups like iCloud, Google Photos etc.
- Consider using a video recovery app to access deleted files.
Can you recover deleted Snapchat videos?
Unfortunately it is not possible to recover deleted Snapchat videos as they are automatically deleted from Snapchat’s servers once viewed.
Some things you could try are:
- Ask the sender if they still have the Snapchat video in their Memories
- Use a Snapchat viewer or recovery tool, but their effectiveness is limited
- Jailbreak your iPhone which may allow access to deleted Snapchat media
But overall, once a Snapchat is viewed it is very difficult to retrieve it, so be careful about deleting snaps.
What about other messaging apps like Viber?
For most messaging apps like Viber, Kik etc, recovering deleted videos will depend on whether the app has a cloud backup or ‘Deleted’ folder.
As a guide:
- Viber – No cloud backup available. Best chance is with a third party recovery tool.
- Kik – Stores deleted chats for 30 days before permanent deletion. Enable chat backup.
- Line – Backup to Line cloud, or use iPhone data recovery tools.
Check if the app has backup capabilities or retains deleted content for a certain period of time. Using data recovery software can help in some cases too.
Can iPhone data recovery work after a factory reset?
If you have performed a factory reset or erased all content and settings on your iPhone, this removes all data including any deleted video messages. Recovery becomes much more difficult.
However, there is still a chance third party iOS data recovery software could find remnants of deleted video files after a factory reset. This is because data isn’t always completely wiped from the system storage by a reset.
The best recovery app for finding deleted data after a factory reset is iMyFone D-Back. It can scan your device deeply to extract formatted and erased video files. Just know that the more times you reset your iPhone, the less data can be recovered.
Conclusion
Retrieving deleted iPhone video messages is possible in many cases if you act quickly and use the right recovery methods. Your best options are:
- Recovering recently deleted videos from the app itself e.g. WhatsApp Recently Deleted
- Restoring your iPhone from an iCloud or iTunes backup
- Using reliable and trusted third party iOS data recovery software
- Checking cloud backups like iCloud Photos, Google Photos etc
Just remember – the sooner you try to recover the deleted video message, the better your chances. Avoid actions like factory resetting your device, as this makes recovery much harder.