So… I deleted some Instagram messages I really didn’t mean to delete.
And yes, I panicked.

But after digging around, reading forums, clicking way too many buttons, and avoiding shady apps like the plague, I figured out a few ways to get some of those messages back.

And now I’m gonna show you exactly how I did it—step-by-step—in the simplest way possible.

First: What Happens When You Delete a DM on Instagram?

Here’s the real deal:

When you delete a message or chat on Instagram, it’s usually gone for good.
But there are a few sneaky ways to still maybe get them back.

Some work. Some don’t. Some are just a waste of time.
But I’m only showing you the ones that are actually worth trying.

A Quick Look at What We’ll Try

Method	What It Is	Easy?	Worth It?
📥 Downloading My Data	Ask Insta for a copy of everything	✅ Yep	⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🔍 Checking Message Requests	Find hidden messages	✅ Super easy	⭐⭐☆☆☆
🙋 Asking the Other Person	Hey… got the chat?	✅ Easy	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🔁 Facebook Inbox	For linked accounts	⚠️ A little tricky	⭐⭐⭐☆☆
⚠️ Third-Party Apps	No, just no.	❌ Don’t risk it	☆☆☆☆☆

Step 1: I Downloaded My Instagram Data

Instagram has this sneaky little feature where you can ask them to send you a backup of your account. It includes photos, comments, profile info, and yes—messages.

It won’t always have the message you’re looking for, but it’s your best shot.

How I Did It on My Phone:

1. Opened Instagram
2. Went to my Profile
3. Tapped the three lines (☰) in the top-right
4. Hit Settings & Privacy
5. Then tapped Your information and permissions
6. Chose Download your information
7. Entered my email and Instagram password
8. Waited for them to email me a ZIP file

📩 It took a few hours, but sometimes it can take up to a day.

Then on My Computer (optional but easier):

1. Went to: https://www.instagram.com/download/request/
2. Logged in
3. Requested the data again (just to be safe)

What Was Inside the File:

• A bunch of folders
• One called messages
• Inside it? A file called messages.json or chat.html

I opened it in a browser and bam, there were my old messages.

{
  "conversation_title": "Me and Sam",
  "messages": [
    {
      "sender_name": "Me",
      "text": "Don't forget the concert tickets!",
      "timestamp": "2024-12-10T15:30:00Z"
    }
  ]
}

Did I feel like a hacker? Yes.
Was it complicated? Not really.

Step 2: I Checked My Message Requests

One time, I thought I lost a message—but turns out it was just hiding in the “Requests” section.

Here’s how to check:

1. Tap the DM icon (top right)
2. Look for “Requests” or “Message Requests”
3. Tap it—and scroll 👀

Sometimes messages from strangers (or people you don’t follow back) end up here.

I found an old message in there once that I didn’t even know I missed.

Step 3: I Just… Asked the Other Person

Yup. I literally said:

“Hey, I think I deleted our chat by accident. Can you send me a screenshot?”

And guess what? They had the messages.

Because when you delete a chat on your side, it doesn’t delete it for them.
Their side stays safe—unless they delete it too.

Step 4: I Tried the Facebook Inbox Trick

If you’ve ever connected your Instagram to your Facebook (especially for business), then this might work for you.

Here’s what I did:

1. Went to: https://www.facebook.com/messages/requests/
2. Logged in with my Facebook account
3. Checked the Inbox for Instagram messages

It doesn’t always work. But if your Instagram and Facebook are linked, and you had chat syncing turned on, there’s a shot.

Step 5: I Skipped All the “Recovery” Apps

I’m just gonna say this straight:

Most of those “recover your Instagram DMs!” apps are total scams.

They:

• Steal your info
• Ask for money
• Don’t actually recover anything

So yeah, I didn’t even touch those. Neither should you.

What Worked Best for Me?

Here’s a quick breakdown:

What I Tried	Did It Work?	Notes
Downloaded Data	✅ Yep!	Found old messages in the .zip file
Checked Requests	☑️ Kinda	Found unrelated old messages
Asked the Other Person	✅ 100%	They had screenshots
Facebook Inbox	❌ Nope	My accounts weren’t linked
3rd Party Apps	❌ NOPE	Didn’t even try

FAQs (That I Asked Myself Too)

Can I undo deleting a DM?

Nope. There’s no “undo” button. Once you delete it—it’s gone on your side.

Can Instagram support recover it for me?

Nope. Instagram doesn’t offer that kind of help. (Sad, I know.)

What if I deleted it a year ago?

Unless you had it saved in a data backup—probably gone.

Final Thoughts From Me

Losing a message sucks. Whether it was an important convo, a memory, or just something funny from a friend, it hurts to see it vanish.

But there are a few solid ways to get them back—or at least try.

I hope this helped you like it helped me. If it did, share it, save it, or screenshot it for later—you never know when you’ll need it again.

And hey… maybe back up your data once in a while. Future you will thank you.

—Sahadat.