How can I recover deleted Instagram messages?

Instagram doesn’t let you restore deleted DMs. The “Download Data” feature is your one official route, but even that isn’t guaranteed. Otherwise, only the other user’s inbox has them. Best advice: screenshot or back up important chats before they’re gone.

The short version: deleted Instagram messages are gone unless they show up in your downloaded data file or the other person still has them. No magic button inside the app. Any app that claims otherwise is unsafe—avoid it and stick with official methods only.

Deleted DMs are basically gone from your view, but you still have one chance: request your account data. Instagram will send you a zip file with photos, posts, and sometimes message backups. I did this when I deleted a conversation by mistake. It worked, but only for older messages that were stored on their servers. Don’t bother with shady recovery apps—they’re more likely to steal your account than restore anything. Asking the other person is often the simplest fix.

Hi, I’ve been in your shoes and it’s frustrating when you realize an important DM is gone. The truth is, Instagram doesn’t have a “trash bin” for deleted messages, so once they’re deleted in the app, you can’t just click undo. The main method Instagram themselves recommends is using the Download Your Information option. You can find it under Settings → Privacy and Security → Download Data. Once you request the file, Instagram emails you a link with your account’s archived data, including past DMs. This usually contains messages that were still on their servers up to the point of deletion. Another possibility is checking if the other person you were chatting with still has the conversation—since deleting a DM on your end doesn’t erase it from their inbox. Outside of that, third-party “recovery tools” online are usually scams or privacy risks, so avoid those.