How to Recovery Disappeared iPhone Text Messages in Inbox?

Some iPhone users have reported that the messages in their device's inbox suddenly disappeared. Even after attempting to restart the phone, turning off and then restarting the SMS and MMS functions, these missing messages still couldn't be recovered. If you are also experiencing this issue, then you must be wondering "Why did my messages just vanish? " "Are there any solutions to help restore the lost iPhone information?" Don't worry, we will provide you with a detailed explanation of the common reasons for iPhone message disappearance, as well as how to retrieve the missing messages on your iPhone, whether you have a backup or not.

PART 1 Common Causes of iPhone Text Messages Disappearance

Generally speaking, the disappearance of iPhone SMS is usually related to system settings, storage space, accidental operations, or synchronization issues.

1. System and Settings Issues. This is one of the most common reasons for SMS disappearance. There is a "Keep Information" setting in the iPhone system, which may be set to "30 days" or "1 year" by default. Once the set time limit is exceeded, the system will automatically delete old SMS, causing the information to "disappear".

2. Insufficient Storage Space. When the storage space of the iPhone is severely insufficient, the system, in order to maintain normal operation, may automatically delete some data considered "unnecessary" to free up space. Although this is not the preferred behavior of the system, in extreme cases, some cached or old data, including SMS attachments, may be deleted.

3. Accidental Deletion. Users may sometimes accidentally delete a conversation when organizing information, especially when enabling the "Swipe Left to Delete" operation. If this happens, the SMS will first be moved to the "Recently Deleted" folder in the Messages app and will be retained for 30 days.

4. Software Faults. Occasional errors during the iOS system upgrade process, or software bugs in certain specific versions (such as earlier iOS 15, 16 versions), may also cause information to be temporarily unavailable or partially lost. Such problems are usually fixed in subsequent updates.

5. Synchronization and Account Issues

For users who use multiple Apple devices (such as iPhone, iPad, and Mac), information is synchronized through iCloud. If the date and time settings of one of the devices are inaccurate, or the network connection is unstable, it may cause the synchronization chain to be interrupted, preventing the information from being displayed correctly on all devices. Additionally, if there is an issue with the activation status of iMessage, or if the phone number/email address used for receiving messages in "Settings > Messages > Send & Receive" is configured incorrectly, it will also result in the inability to receive or view text messages properly.

PART 2 How to Recover Text Messages in Your iPhone Inbox?

1. Restart your iPhone. This can solve many temporary system errors. Then, check the network and try to turn off and then re-enable the iMessage and message forwarding functions in "Settings" > "Messages".

2. Immediately check the settings on your iPhone. Go to "Settings" > "Information" > "Keep Information", and confirm if it has been mistakenly set as a temporary option. It is recommended to change it to "Permanent". At the same time, temporarily disable the "Filter Unknown Senders" function and check if there are any "Lost" messages in the relevant categories. Additionally, attempting to reset all the settings of your iPhone can also be used to solve the problem of iPhone automatically deleting messages. Click "Settings" > "General" > "Restore" > "Restore All Settings" to restore all system settings to their default values, without deleting the existing data on your iPhone.

3. Restart iMessage synchronization. The specific procedure is to go to "Settings" > "Messages" > "Turn on/off iMessage", wait for a few seconds, and then reopen it.

4. Restart the iCloud information synchronization. The specific procedure is to go to "Settings" > "iCloud" > "Messages" > turn it off, and then reopen it.

5. Restore Disappeared iPhone Text Messages in Inbox Using A Professional iOS Data Recovery Tool

If the above methods fail to help you retrieve the lost messages, then you need professional iOS data recovery tools. The Geekersoft Data Recovery (iOS) can help you quickly recover various types of data on your iOS device, including iPhone's SMS/iMessage, pictures, videos, contacts, etc. The Geekersoft Data Recovery (iOS) has excellent compatibility and is applicable to all iPhone models and iOS systems, including the latest iPhone 17 and iOS 18. It can run perfectly on Windows and macOS systems.

You can follow the steps below to recover the missing messages in your iPhone's inbox, which are simple and efficient.

Step 1 Install and launch the Geekersoft Data Recovery (iOS) on your computer. Connect your iPhone to the computer via a USB data cable.

Step 2 On the main interface of Geekersoft Data Recovery (iOS), select "Restore from iOS Device", choose "Messages" in the pop-up window, and then click "OK".

Step 3 Preview and select the lost information in the scan results, and then click "Restore" to complete the recovery.

Summary

What should I do if the messages in my iPhone inbox have disappeared? Don't worry. Stop using the device and then follow the methods provided in this article for checking. Among them, the Geekersoft Data Recovery (iOS) is a professional data recovery software that has received high praise from users. It enables users to recover various types of data on iPhone/iPad, including deleted messages, without the need for backups.