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Instagram is a widely popular social media platform that allows users to share pictures and videos with their followers. However, sometimes a mishap can happen, and we accidentally delete important chats on Instagram. It can be a frustrating experience to lose important or sentimental conversations, especially when we don’t have any backups. Fortunately, there are various methods to recover deleted Instagram chats on Android. In this blog, we’ll delve into some well-known and reliable channels for restoring your deleted messages.
Video Tutorial:
Why You Need to Recover Deleted Instagram Chats
Instagram plays an integral part in connecting people globally. Sharing messages, private chats, and emoticons are pretty common, but the threat of losing these chats permanently still exists. The likelihood of accidentally deleting chat conversations on Instagram is not that uncommon. However, it’s possible to recover lost messages and has become a need of the hour. Here are some reasons why you might want to recover your deleted chats from Instagram:
- You may lose chat conversations that are special to you and cannot be retrieved.
- It may contain sensitive data or confidential information that you may want to recover.
- The chat could be from someone you know or a family member that you cannot afford to lose conversation from.
Method 1: Restoring deleted messages via Instagram Archive
It’s a well-known fact that Instagram has an archive feature, enabling users to view deleted messages at any time once they’re lost. This can offer a relief to users who often accidentally delete chats, which are important to them.
Here’s how to recover deleted chats on Instagram via Archive
- Access the Instagram App. Click on the Profile icon located on the bottom right corner of the screen
- Tap on the three horizontal lines to access the menu on the top right corner of the screen.
- From the drop-down menu, select “Archive,” and then choose “Messages”.
- Next, select the particular chat or individual messages that you want to recover. Finally, select “Unarchive” to restore the messages, and it should appear back to your inbox.
Pros:
- Instagram Archive is an in-built feature that doesn’t require downloading any third-party software, hence it’s easy to retrieve the chats.
- The method is relatively easy and straightforward, suitable for individuals who are not tech-savvy.
- The chats retrieved will be restored to your inbox directory.
Cons:
- This method works only for those chats that have been archived. Therefore, non-archived chats will be lost without any recovery options.
- Instagram Archive doesn’t indicate which chat has been archived, resulting in difficulty in finding them.
Method 2: Restoring deleted messages using Instagram Data Download
Instagram data download is an easy and reliable method to restore deleted messages. Instagram users can access their data archive simply with a few clicks. The user can also gain access to deleted chats on the Instagram web version of the site.
Here’s how to restore deleted chats using Instagram Data Download :
- Go to Instagram and log in your account from the app or website.
- Click on the three horizontal line options situated at the top right corner of the screen, and a menu should appear.
- From the drop-down menu, click on “Settings”.
- A new tab will now open; select “Security” followed by “Download Data”.
- Enter a valid email address and select “Request Download”. As soon as the download is confirmed, Instagram will send a download link to the email address you entered.
- Log in to your email and click on the download link. You may be prompted to enter your Instagram credentials again.
- Once downloaded, open the file and select “messages.json”.
- Select the particular chat or individual messages that you want to restore.
Pros:
- Users can gain access to all deleted chats from Instagram by downloading their data.
- Instagram Data Download is built-in on the site, making accessibility easy.
- The method works both on the mobile application version and on the web version.
Cons:
- Users often have to wait for an extended period before their data is ready for download.
- The user has to download the entire data archive to restore deleted chats, which contains unnecessary files, and the process can take a while.
Method 3: Restoring Instagram Chats with GT Recovery
GT Recovery is a data recovery software used by both iOS and Android devices. The software is ideal for recovering various data files such as videos, music, documents, photos, contacts, messages, and more.
Here’s how to restore deleted Instagram messages via GT Recovery:
- Download GT Recovery – Undelete,Restore
- Open the app and allow permission to access internal storage.
- Select “Messages” to target chats on Instagram
- The app should show all deleted messages on the Instagram server once the scan is complete.
- Select the chats you want to recover and click on “restore”.
- The recovered messages will appear in your Instagram inbox or may be exported to a PDF file.
Pros:
- The app is easy to install and straightforward to use.
- The app helps to recover chats that may not have been archived, nor is it in the Instagram data archived folder.
- The app can scan all deleted messages on the Instagram server, speeding up the recovery time process.
Cons:
- The app can only run on android devices, therefore excluded from IOS users.
- The app may contain ads, making it less user-friendly, and may cause interruptions while restoring deleted messages.
Method 4: Contact Instagram Customer Service
Suppose all preceding methods have failed, or Instagram archive and Instagram data download have not retrieved your chats. In that case, you should contact Instagram customer service directly. Instagram customer service is typically available 24/7 to respond to any issues or queries from their users.
Here’s how to contact Instagram Customer Service:
- Open your Instagram account and navigate to the “Settings” section.
- Select “Help” located at the bottom of the screen, then click on “Report a hacked account”.
- Select “I can’t access this email or phone” and follow the prompts until you see “Report hacked account” on the screen.
- Select “my account” followed by “request support”.
- Fill out the form, including several details such as username, email address associated with Instagram, type of issue, etc.
- Explain that you lost or accidentally deleted Instagram chats, the date or time of the chats, and any other relevant information.
Pros:
- Instagram customer service is available whenever any issue arises.
- A dedicated response team can investigate each case and recover deleted chats.
- Instagram customer service can provide a review of the account and secure it from further mishaps.
Cons:
- If Instagram customer service cannot retrieve the chats, there may not be any other options left.
- The recovery process may take a long time, and sometimes the chats may not be recovered.
What to Do If You Can’t Recover Deleted Instagram Chats
Although there are various methods to retrieve deleted Instagram chats, it is not always guaranteed that these methods will work in all cases. However, listed are some of the fixes in such scenarios:
- Try to remember the content of the chat or find the same content within other messages.
- Try to search within the “Archive” section of the Instagram app, which might help retrieve the lost chats or messages.
- Try reaching out to the person you were messaging to see if they still have the conversation available.
Bonus Tips
- It’s recommendable to back up important Instagram chats regularly to avoid any data loss mishaps.
- Delete unnecessary chats as it may lessen the possibility of deleting important chats accidentally.
- Make sure to know your Instagram app features and the relevant tools available to assist with recovering deleted chats or messages.
5 FAQs
Q1: Can I recover Instagram chats that were deleted a long time ago?
A: Recovery is possible with Instagram archive and Instagram data download features. However, there may be situations where deleted messages’ data may no longer be available due to the time that has passed.
Q2: Is GT Recovery user-friendly?
A: Yes, the app is user-friendly and easy to navigate.
Q3: Is my personal data safe when using GT Recovery?
A: Developers assure user’s privacy and data safety while using the app.
Q4: Can I only restore messages if I have the Instagram App downloaded?
A: No, messages can also be restored using the web version of Instagram.
Q5: Why does the recovery process sometimes take long?
A: Recovery time may vary depending on the size of the data archive, deleted message history, and the recovery channel used.
Final Thoughts
Losing or accidentally deleting important messages on Instagram can be frustrating. Fortunately, there are various methods to retrieve them, from Instagram features and third-party software to the ultimate customer service. Although retrieving deleted messages is not always guaranteed, it’s always beneficial to take into consideration the bonus tips and suggestions to avoid future data losses.