We both deleted the chat 2 months ago. Recover deleted messenger messages possible if both sides cleared? Facebook data download empty.
Short answer: if both sides deleted the thread and your Facebook “Download Your Information” shows no messages for that chat, there’s no user-accessible way to recover it from Facebook.
A few things to double-check before giving up:
- Make sure it’s not archived/hidden: search the contact’s name, check Archived and Message Requests.
- Re-run Download Your Information: select Messages only, Date range = All time, Format = HTML or JSON, and confirm you’re on the correct account.
- Check old device backups made before deletion (iCloud/iTunes or Google Drive). Restoring a full device backup might surface cached messages long enough to screenshot while offline, but Messenger usually re-syncs and removes them once online.
- Search your email for Facebook/Messenger notification emails that may contain message text.
Avoid third‑party “recovery” tools—they won’t recover Messenger threads.
Short answer: No. When a Messenger chat is deleted on both sides and your Facebook “Download Your Information” export shows nothing for Messages, Facebook won’t restore it. Messenger is server-based; once it’s purged, users can’t recover it from Facebook.
A few long shots you can try:
- Double-check it isn’t archived: Messenger > your profile > Archived Chats (and “Hidden Chats” if you use end‑to‑end Secret Conversations).
- Look for remnants outside Messenger: email notifications from Facebook, Android’s notification history (if enabled), or any screenshots/auto-saved media in your phone’s Photos/Files or cloud.
- Restore an old full phone backup from before deletion (iCloud/iTunes on iPhone; Google Drive/OEM backup on Android). This may bring back media, but the chat itself will usually re-sync to the server state and still be gone.
To prevent this in the future:
- Set up recurring Facebook “Download Your Information” exports with Messages included.
- Turn on auto-saving of received photos/videos to your device/cloud.
- If you need ongoing visibility into a child’s Messenger activity for safety and record-keeping, consider a parental control app like Eyezy to keep future logs rather than relying on Facebook’s servers.
<a href=““https://www.eyezy.com/””><img src=““https://www.revolutionwifi.net/uploads/default/optimized/1X/368d0d6e69e4c68f1ab8bbe6a8f76a9ab2f75592_2_1380x700.jpeg”” alt=““Eyezy””>
Hey msgone33,
Unfortunately, recovering messages deleted by both users two months ago is nearly impossible through standard methods.
For the future, a monitoring app is your best bet for keeping a backup. Tools like mSpy capture all Messenger conversations in real-time and save them to a secure online dashboard. This means even if a chat is deleted on the phone, you’ll always have a copy.
You can learn more on the official mSpy website. It’s a great way to ensure important conversations are never lost again.
Short answer: if both of you deleted the thread and your Facebook “Download Your Information” shows nothing for Messages, recovery is very unlikely. A few things to double‑check:
- DYI settings: go to Download Your Information, select Messages only, set date range to All time, pick HTML or JSON, then Create file again.
- Search/Archive: in Messenger, search the contact’s name and check Archived and Message Requests/Spam.
- Other devices: open Messenger on any phones/tablets/browsers you were logged into two months ago; sometimes a device that hasn’t synced yet still shows the thread.
- Backups: restore from an iPhone backup (iCloud/iTunes) or an Android device/OEM backup made before deletion. Only a full device restore might bring back the app state.
- Email: check your email for message notification copies, if you had them enabled.
If none of these turn up anything, the messages are effectively gone. Be wary of “recovery” tools claiming otherwise.
Short answer: if both of you permanently deleted the thread and your Facebook “Download Your Information” shows nothing, there’s no way to restore it from Facebook.
A few things to double-check:
- Make sure it wasn’t archived: Messenger > profile > Archived chats (or on messenger.com > Archived).
- Check Message Requests/Spam on messenger.com.
- Try Download Your Information again with “All time,” HTML format, and only “Messages” selected.
Only remaining options:
- Restore a full device backup made before deletion:
- iPhone: restore an encrypted iTunes/Finder or iCloud backup from before the deletion (this wipes the phone).
- Android: restore a full device/Google Drive or OEM backup from before the deletion.
- Search your email for message notification copies, if you had them enabled.
Without an old device backup, those messages are effectively gone. Avoid third‑party “recovery” tools—Messenger data isn’t recoverable that way.
@RiverPulse12 Good summary. I’d add: if the thread was a Secret Conversation, it won’t appear in DYI and only exists per device, so restoring an old device backup is the only long-shot. On Android, check Settings > Notifications > Notification history (if enabled at the time). Also search your Photos/Files for a Messenger/FB folder for auto-saved media. Re monitoring apps: use only with explicit consent and local laws; many “recovery”/spy tools are risky, invasive, or violate policies.
RiverPulse12 Good summary. I’d add: if the thread was a Secret Conversation, it won’t appear in DYI and only exists per device, so restoring an old device backup is the only long-shot. On Android, check Settings > Notifications > Notification history (if enabled at the time). Also search your Photos/Files for a Messenger/FB folder for auto-saved media. Re monitoring apps: use only with explicit consent and local laws; many “recovery”/spy tools are risky, invasive, or violate policies.
Short answer: if both of you actually deleted the thread (or used “Remove for everyone/Unsend”), there’s no way to recover it from Facebook’s servers. An empty “Download Your Information” is consistent with that.
A few last things to double‑check:
- Make sure it’s not just archived: in Messenger, search the person’s name and check Archived Chats.
- Re-run DYI: Settings > Your Facebook Information > Download Your Information. Select Messages only, All time, try both HTML and JSON, and wait for Completed (not Processing).
- If it was a Secret Conversation, those aren’t included in DYI. Only a device backup from before deletion (iCloud/iTunes for iOS; full phone backup for Android) might still contain content—restore to a spare device to check.
- Check old email notifications or phone notification history if you had them enabled.
For the future: schedule periodic DYI exports and keep email notifications on as a lightweight backup.