WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. It offers end-to-end encryption for chats, allowing you to have private conversations. However, one limitation is that when a message is deleted, you can no longer see it.
So what if you want to retrieve a deleted WhatsApp message on your iPhone? Is it possible to see deleted WhatsApp messages on iPhone notifications? Here, we will explain exactly how you can view deleted WhatsApp messages on your iPhone.
Can You See Deleted WhatsApp Messages on iPhone Notifications?
The notifications that appear on your iPhone home screen when you receive a new WhatsApp message only contain a preview of the message. They do not contain the full content of the message.
So if someone sends you a message on WhatsApp and then deletes it, you will only see a preview of that message in the notification on your iPhone. Once you open the WhatsApp app, the deleted message will no longer be there.
Therefore, it is not possible to see the full content of deleted WhatsApp messages directly from the notifications on your iPhone. The notification previews do not store or display the full content of deleted messages.
Method 1: Using WhatsApp Web to View Deleted Messages
One way to view deleted WhatsApp messages sent to you is by using WhatsApp Web. WhatsApp Web allows you to access your WhatsApp account and messages from your computer’s web browser.
Here are the steps to view deleted WhatsApp messages using WhatsApp Web:
- Open WhatsApp on your iPhone and go to Settings > Linked Devices.
- Tap on “Link a Device” and scan the QR code shown on the screen using your computer’s webcam.
- This will link your WhatsApp account to WhatsApp Web. Open web.whatsapp.com on your computer’s browser.
- You will now see all your WhatsApp messages and conversations on the browser. Expand the conversation where the deleted message was sent.
- Deleted messages that were sent to you will still be visible on WhatsApp Web even if deleted by the sender.
The key thing is that WhatsApp Web acts as a separate client that maintains its own local message cache. So even if a message is deleted on your phone, it may still be present in the cache on WhatsApp Web, allowing you to view it.
Method 2: Using Third-Party WhatsApp Viewer Apps
There are some third-party WhatsApp viewer apps available on the App Store that can retrieve and display deleted WhatsApp messages sent to you.
However, many of these apps are not approved by WhatsApp due to privacy concerns. But here are some viewer apps that may work:
- WAMR – WhatsApp Messages Recovery
- WhatsRemoved
- Notification History Log
These apps require access to your iPhone’s notifications to function. They capture and store notifications in their local database, allowing you to view notification content even after deletion.
To view deleted WhatsApp messages with such apps:
- Download and install the app on your iPhone
- Launch the app and enable notification access when prompted
- Open the app after receiving a WhatsApp message notification
- You will be able to view the full content of deleted messages in the app’s interface
However, granting notification access to such apps can be a privacy risk. Make sure to carefully review app permissions before installing third-party viewer tools.
Method 3: Restoring Messages from iCloud Backup
If you have iCloud backups enabled for WhatsApp, you may be able to restore deleted messages from a previous backup.
Here are the steps to restore deleted WhatsApp messages from an iCloud backup:
- Go to iPhone Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups
- Tap on your device name and select “Restore Backup”
- Select the latest iCloud backup that contains the deleted WhatsApp message
- Tap Restore and wait for your iPhone to restart
- Your iPhone will be restored to the state of the iCloud backup you selected
- Open WhatsApp and navigate to the conversation – the deleted message should now be visible again
However, this method only works if you have a backup that contains the deleted WhatsApp message and is not overwritten by a more recent backup. So it relies on you restoring from an older backup.
Can You Stop WhatsApp from Deleting Messages?
Since deleting WhatsApp messages removes them completely for all recipients, you may want a way to prevent deletion entirely. Unfortunately, there is no native iPhone setting to disable WhatsApp’s deletion capability.
However, some things you can try include:
- Using a third party app like WAMR that creates message backups and prevents deletion
- Enabling the Archived Chats feature in WhatsApp to store old conversations
- Using WhatsApp Web to pin important chats so they are not deleted
- Enabling iCloud backup to restore deleted messages from backup
But there is no way to natively or completely disable WhatsApp’s message deletion ability on iPhones. The app is designed to permanently delete messages when the sender chooses to delete them.
Conclusion
To summarize, while you cannot directly view deleted WhatsApp messages from iPhone notifications, there are a few workarounds:
- View deleted messages on WhatsApp Web by linking your account
- Use third party apps to capture and store notifications
- Restore deleted messages from an iCloud backup
But the best approach is to frequently back up your WhatsApp data either to iCloud or locally using apps like WAMR. This gives you the highest chance of being able to recover deleted messages on iPhone if needed.