An open community 
of Macintosh users,
for Macintosh users.

FineTunedMac Dashboard widget now available! Download Here

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Where search deleted text messages?
#52823 11/06/19 02:53 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
kevs Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Dec 2009
There is a place in icloud one can search for these. I did it on my desktop once and it worked. Deleted messages from iphone. Can't remember where that was.

Re: Where search deleted text messages?
kevs #52826 11/06/19 04:32 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 8
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 8
When it last worked for you, did it show you all text messages (green and blue text bubbles) or only iMessages (blue bubbles)?


On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: Where search deleted text messages?
Ira L #52828 11/06/19 04:45 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
kevs Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Dec 2009
Don't remember Ira, just go in finder, icloud, or maybe even external hardrive, some place all this stuff resides from the past.

Re: Where search deleted text messages?
kevs #52830 11/07/19 10:00 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Online
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
The local folder for that information would be in you user ~/Library/Messages, but that leads you to a database. To access old messages you would need to restore that folder from that date in Time Machine or some other versioned backup.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Where search deleted text messages?
joemikeb #52831 11/08/19 02:40 AM
Joined: Dec 2009
kevs Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Dec 2009
Joe, thanks. LIbrary, message, actually they are all there in Users library, only thing is you have to open many folders to find it..scroll back through time..

In this case, in turned out I found my contact otherwise... but this is the best way for searching for future deleted messages...right?

Sadly I don't think Spotlight can find them...I think you have to manually open all old folders.

Re: Where search deleted text messages?
kevs #52833 11/08/19 05:38 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Online
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Originally Posted By: keys
ctually they are all there in Users library, only thing is you have to open many folders to find it..scroll back through time..

That is about it although there would be a wide range of time throughout which the record would be in the database.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Where search deleted text messages?
joemikeb #52834 11/08/19 05:54 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
kevs Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Dec 2009
Thanks JOe, so have to dig in manually, but could save ass one day.. deleted message, but not icloud thing right. Just on normal hardrive....right. Is it odd Spotlight can't get into it and see names etc of who you remember sent it?

Re: Where search deleted text messages?
kevs #52836 11/08/19 09:25 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Online
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Actually given the correct set of search parameter permissions Spotlight might be able to dig that out. First you would have to use Spotlight via Finder (⌘F) on the desktop. Then enable searching for system files, invisible files, the database path, searching for contents, etc.. I have no idea what the magic set of options might be , there are over 100 different parameters but the majority of these would not be appropriate.

There are third party search tools such as Find Any File or MagicianFile that use a brute force (open read and search every file one at a time) that might work as well. Remember too that when you get into Time Machine, file structures and linkages can get pretty baroque, so extracting the data once you find it can become a challenge.

iCloud gets involved in all of this as the medium for keeping all of you devices synched, but once a message is deleted on any one of your devices it is deleted from iCloud and all of your other devices. I have no idea what type of backup Apple uses with iCloud, but to go back in time there would most likely require Apple to turn extensive and extremely expensive handsprings.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Where search deleted text messages?
joemikeb #52838 11/08/19 09:37 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
kevs Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Dec 2009
Good news Joe! Users Library, not Root library, messages.
In finder, as you state, target the messages folder, and it does find names, and phone numbers... maybe you have number only or remember guys name.. does good job!

It's interesting that even though the messages mostly emanate from the iphone, this is all done on my desktop hardrive.. but I suppose it all syncs with icloud like photos is across the board.

Re: Where search deleted text messages?
kevs #52843 11/08/19 10:11 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Online
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Originally Posted By: kevs
It's interesting that even though the messages mostly emanate from the iphone, this is all done on my desktop hardrive.. but I suppose it all syncs with icloud like photos is across the board.

As long as you computer is running while the message is "alive" it will exist, for a while on you Mac, at least until it is deleted from the phone or other device. If it is on the Mac when Time Machine runs it gets backed up if not in perpetuity, as long as the Time Machine backup set lasts.

I find it helps me keep things straight when I think of each of my devices as access points to my "computing system" enabled by iCloud.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: Where search deleted text messages?
joemikeb #52845 11/08/19 10:21 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
kevs Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Dec 2009
Thanks Joe, but interestingly, these old messages, which go back years, on the the Mac, not TM.. that's a seperate other place I suppose they are but the Mac is keeping deleted messages which is nice.


Moderated by  cyn, dianne 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4
(Release build 20200307)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.019s Queries: 36 (0.013s) Memory: 0.6203 MB (Peak: 0.7105 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 15:07:50 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS