Buzz
Discover unsent messages on iMessage or Facebook Messenger
Did someone send you a text message only to unsend it quickly? If you're curious about its content, you might be in luck if you're on a device running an older iOS version (iOS 15 or earlier). On iOS 16 or newer, it's no longer possible to view unsent messages. This guide will walk you through the process of viewing unsent messages on an iPhone.
How to Recover Unsent iMessages on iPhone
If you're using iOS 16 or a newer version, you won't be able to access unsent messages. This feature was available only on iOS 15 and earlier versions. To ensure you stay updated with your messages, adjust your notification settings to always show previews.
Procedure
Is it possible to view unsent messages on iPhone?
You can't view unsent messages on iOS 16 or later.
However, if you have an older iPhone or iPad running iOS 15 or earlier, you may still be able to retrieve old messages. This also applies to Macs using macOS 12 (Monterey) or earlier. Since it’s rare to find devices with older iOS versions, you can try adjusting your notification settings to ensure you don't miss any messages before they’re unsent.
- To view Messages on other devices, you need to have iCloud and iCloud Keychain enabled on both devices. Open the Messages app on the older device to check unsent messages.
- Like unsent iMessages, you cannot recover deleted messages from Facebook Messenger, but adjusting your notification settings can help.
Changing Notification Settings
Open Settings. This is the grey gear icon.
- You can modify notification settings for all apps, including Messages and Facebook Messenger.
Tap Notifications. You’ll find this option in the middle of the page.
Tap Messages. To adjust Facebook Messenger notifications, tap Messenger.
- If Allow Notifications is not already turned on, tap it to activate.
Change the "Banner Style" to "Persistent". You'll find this option under the Alerts section.
Set "Show Previews" to "Always". This option is located under the Lock Screen Appearance section.
- This ensures notifications stay visible on your iPhone. If a message is unsent, the initial notification with the unsent message will still appear.
