You can see deleted WhatsApp messages using several methods, mainly depending on your device and whether you had notifications or backups enabled:
For Android Users
1. Notification History (Android 11 and above):
- Go to your phone’s Settings > Apps & Notifications > Notifications > Notification history.
- Enable Notification history if not already on.
- Deleted WhatsApp messages often remain in the notification log for up to 24 hours, allowing you to view the original message even if deleted by the sender
2. WhatsApp Chat Backup Restoration:
- Uninstall WhatsApp and reinstall it.
- During setup, restore from the latest Google Drive or local backup.
- This can recover deleted messages if they were included in the backup before deletion
3. Third-Party Apps:
- Apps like AirDroid WhatsApp Monitor can record and show deleted messages over a longer period once set up.
- Exercise caution with third-party apps due to privacy and security risks
For iPhone Users
iCloud Backup Restoration:
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.
- Restore chat history from iCloud backup during setup.
- This is the primary way to recover deleted messages on iPhone as notification history is not available like on Android
Important Notes
- WhatsApp Web, Windows, and Mac versions do not support viewing deleted messages
- Notification history only works if notifications were received before the message was deleted and typically only retains data for 24 hours
- Media files (images, videos) deleted from WhatsApp generally cannot be recovered via notification history
- Regularly backing up WhatsApp chats helps prevent permanent loss of messages
In summary, the most practical ways to see deleted WhatsApp messages are by checking Android’s notification history shortly after deletion, restoring from backups on both Android and iPhone, or using specialized third-party monitoring apps with caution
