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 their process to recover deleted messages outwardly apparent, the process is relatively straightforward.
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 you accidentally deleted your DMs, you may at some point want to retrieve them. 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. Using Instagram Data, you can download this stored information, 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 will need to follow these steps on Instagram’s web page, as the app does not allow for this process. Let’s get started:
- Open your internet browser and navigate to https://www.instagram.com, then sign in to your account if not already done.
- Right-click your “Profile icon” located in the top right corner of the screen, then select “Profile” from the menu.
- From here, 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 “Data Download.” 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,” then click on “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.”
- An Instagram 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 “messages 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.”
- The opened file should display all messages stored on Instagram servers, using the JSON format.
All the messages you have sent on Instagram will be 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 (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 get back your deleted information.
If you use an iPhone, a popular software to use is U.Fone. This program can also be used on your Mac or Windows PC to recover lost data. This tool allows you to retrieve your lost Instagram DMs and a range of other data, too, including text messages, photos, videos, Whatsapp data, call history, contacts, and audio files.
Android users can make use of FoneLab or similar software. Fonelab makes it easy to recover deleted data such as messages, photos, videos, audio files, contacts, and even Whatsapp data. The software is quick and easy to install and guides you through the steps to take to gain back your information. FoneLab also offers software iOS recovery and a host of other options such as data backup and restore.
While using software such as this can be helpful, it is always a good idea to check out the programs you’re going to use first. Many advertised options are scams. Hackers use these to gain access to your personal information and social media profiles. Online Instagram Recovery Tools often form part of these scams. Downloading software such as those suggested above is a far safer option.
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 choose to use Instagram Data or a third-party app, gaining back your deleted DMs will take no time at all.
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