In the digital era, cell phones have become an indispensable part of our daily life, they are not only communication tools, but also a treasure trove of information storing a large amount of personal data. For law enforcement agencies, recovering deleted text messages from cell phones has become an important means to solve cases and collect key evidence.
So, in the process of actual law enforcement and scene investigation, can police recover deleted text messages on iPhone? Especially for such widely used smartphones as iPhone, its built-in security mechanism makes the data recovery process more challenging. Read forward and find the answer.
Can Police Recover Deleted Text Messages on iPhone?
The answer is yes. In many crime investigations, SMS communications are often the key to reconstructing the timeline of events, confirming the whereabouts of suspects, and revealing criminal intent. Even if text messages are manually deleted by the user, the information may still be a valuable clue to uncovering the truth. For example, in cases of fraud, threats, harassment or more serious crimes such as murder and terrorism, recovered text messages can provide direct evidence to help police pinpoint suspects and restore the facts of the crime.
However, it should be noted that the success rate and scope of recovery depends on a number of factors, including the iPhone model, operating system version, whether the data has been overwritten, and the recovery technology used. As Apple’s iOS system is designed with built-in security measures such as encryption and regular backup mechanisms, the police usually need specialized tools and technical support to bypass these obstacles.
How to Recover Deleted Text Messages on iPhone
Method 1: Recover Deleted SMS via Recently Deleted Folder
How do you recover deleted text messages on the iPhone? The most direct way is to check the “Recently Deleted” folder. The steps to recover deleted iPhone text messages in the “Recently Deleted” folder are as follows:
- Open the Messages app on your Apple phone, click the top left corner to return to the main list of Messages.
- Enter the “Recently Deleted” folder. In this folder, you can view and recover text messages deleted in the last 30 days.
- Tick the messages you want to recover, and then click “Recover” button at the bottom right corner.
- Wait for the recovery to complete, and then return to the “All Messages” list to see the recovered messages.
Tip: Please note that the above operation is only applicable to iPhone devices with iOS 16 or later, and you can only recover messages and conversations deleted in the past 30 to 40 days.
If the suspect’s iPhone was previously backed up via iTunes or iCloud, the police can recover the text messages by accessing those backup files. This is the most straightforward and non-invasive method, but relies on the backup being up-to-date and the content integrity.
Method 2: Restore Text Messages Using iCloud Backup
To use iCloud backup to recover deleted text messages on iPhone, you can follow the steps below:
Step 1. Go to “Settings” on your iPhone > Sign in your Apple ID > “iCloud” > “Manage Account Storage” > “Backup”. Check your device backup information in “Backup”. Make sure that the text messages are backed up via iCloud.
Step 2. Since restoring from iCloud restores the entire device to the state it was in when it was backed up, you will need to erase all data and settings on your current device first. This step is irreversible, so please make a backup of your important data beforehand. Go to “Settings” > “General” > “Transfer or Restore iPhone” > “Erase All Content and Settings “.
Step 3. After the device reboots, it will enter the “Hello” welcome screen, follow the on-screen instructions to set up until you see the “Apps & Data” screen. On the “Apps & Data” screen, select “From iCloud Backup”. Sign in with your Apple ID and the system will show you a list of available iCloud backups, from which you can select a backup point in time that contains the text messages you want to recover.
Step 4. After the recovery is complete, your iPhone will be set to the state when it was backed up, and all data including deleted text messages will be restored.
Method 3: Get Lost Messages Back with iTunes Backup
The steps to recover deleted text messages from iPhone using iTunes backup are as follows:
- Connect your iPhone to the computer using the original USB cable. Unlock iPhone screen and trust this computer on your phone (if prompted).
- Launch iTunes on your computer. Click the iPhone icon at the top of iTunes to enter the device summary page.
- In the “Backup” section, click “Restore Backup”. iTunes will warn you that this will wipe the existing data on your iPhone and replace it with the data from the backup, so make sure that there is no important new data on your iPhone that has not been backed up. Please make sure there is no important new data on your iPhone that has not been backed up, because this process is not reversible.
- Select the backup you want to restore, usually the one closest to the point before the date of SMS deletion. Click “Recover” and wait for the process to finish.
- During the recovery process, keep your iPhone connected to the computer without interruption. After the recovery is complete, iPhone will restart and you can view the text messages in the Messages app that existed during the previous backup.
Other Methods of Text Messages Recovery on iPhone
- Use professional forensic software: There are many forensic software on the market designed for law enforcement agencies, such as Cellebrite, GrayKey, etc., which are capable of bypassing the iPhone’s security and extracting a wide range of data, including deleted text messages. These tools take advantage of iOS vulnerabilities and can perform deep scanning and recovery without triggering the data wiping mechanism.
- Hardware-level forensics: In some extreme cases, police may resort to more sophisticated hardware-level forensics if software methods fail to work. This involves physically disassembling the device, reading the raw data directly from the flash memory chip, and then using specialized data recovery techniques to parse and recover the SMS records.
FAQs
- How long does it take for the police to check an iPhone device?
Depending on the complexity of the device, the strength of the encryption, and the recovery method used, the examination can take anywhere from a few hours to several weeks. A simple backup extraction may take only a few hours, while a complex hardware-level analysis can take much longer.
- How far back can the police retrieve SMS messages?
In theory, the police can recover SMS messages from any point in time as long as the data has not been overwritten by new data and the backup contains relevant information. However, in practice, the earlier the data is, the more difficult it is to recover.
- How long ago can the police view the SMS?
Again, this is limited by data retention and backup frequency. If the data is backed up regularly, the police may be able to view SMS records from even several years ago. Without backups, the viewing period is usually limited by the reuse of storage space on the device.
Conclusion
In summary, while recovering deleted text messages on an iPhone is a technical challenge. However, with modern forensic techniques and specialized tools, the police do have the ability to achieve this goal. Yes, police can recover deleted text messages on iPhone. This process is not only crucial to fighting crime, but also emphasizes the balanced consideration between privacy and law enforcement needs in the digital age. As technology continues to advance, the future of forensics will be more efficient and precise, while also sparking more discussion about data protection and legal authority.