With a number of messages that we receive every day, it could be a serious challenge if we want to search certain information from text messages/iMessages on iPhone, especially when we need to find phone numbers someone texted to us.
In this guide, I will show you three easy ways to search iMessages and text messages (the deleted ones are included) in details. You can read old iMessages/text messages easily, and if the messages are deleted, you can recover the deleted iMessages and text messages.
IMessage is Apple's built-in instant messaging (IM) service. It lets you send text, picture, video, sound, and location quickly and easily to anyone else using iMessage on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch.
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Part 1. How to Track Old Text Messages/iMessages on iPhone
Look up Old Text Messages on iPhone
You can easily find old messages on iPhone without scrolling with search bar on iMessages.
Tap Message app.
While viewing the Messages list, swipe down with your finger to expose the search box.
Enter the search string/keywords/phone number in the search box and the results list will automatically update as you type.
You may want to go to a specific date in iMessage.
TIP: Unfortunately, currently, there is no way to search iMessages/text messages by date on iPhone.
Use Spotlight to Find Old iMessages/Text Messages
You can also access to text messages on iPhone with Spotlight.
Just tap and swipe to the right to bring up Spotlight Search from the Home screen.
Then, tap the search bar and enter the information you are searching for. You can search a word, phone number, etc. in the target text message.
When the search results appeared, swipe down to scroll through the list to locate the Messages section.
Now in iOS 11, Spotlight is more powerful for you to search contents.
Part 2. Quickly Get to the Beginning of A Text Conversation
Also here is a simple trick to help you quickly scroll back to the top of a text message/iMessage without swiping/scrolling. It is very simple yet easy to be neglected. This can help you better see texts history on iPhone.
Open a text message/iMessage thread.
Keep taping the upper bar on the very top of your iPhone screen, the bar that displays the current time, your carrier's name, battery level, etc.
As you tap, it will quickly scroll to the beginning of the message conversation.
The trick can also be applied to look up messages in other messaging apps like WhatsApp.
Part 3. How to Search Deleted iPhone Messages
After a thorough search, if you still couldn't find the old texts that you need, the iMessages or messages may have been deleted.
To search old text messages that have been deleted from your iPhone, you can use a tool named FonePaw iPhone Data Recovery. This tool is initially designed to recover lost, deleted and hidden data from iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. It can be also used to check and pull up old SMS, MMS and iMessages on your iPhone X/8/8 Plus/7/7 Plus/ SE/6s/6. And when you find out them, you can retrieve old text messages from iPhone.
DownloadDownload
Search Recently Deleted iPhone Messages
STEP 1. Download, install and open the program on your computer. Then connect your iPhone to the computer. You'll then get a pop-up window asking you to tap 'Trust' on your iPhone to trust this computer.
STEP 2. After the program detects the device, you may click on the 'Start Scan' button for the program to scan recently deleted iMessages and text messages on your iPhone.
Imessage On Mac Setup
STEP 3. When the scan is completed, the program displays all the files it found including the recently deleted messages/iMessages. You can 'Only display the deleted items' to find the delete messages that you need.
STEP 4. To look up a specific text, you can input the texter's name, phone number or email partially in the search box at the right corner of the interface.
STEP 5. Select the needed messages by clicking on the checkboxes, hit the Recover button to save the conversation on a computer.
Search Old Messages Deleted from Months(Years) Ago
Scanning iPhone with FonePaw iPhone Data Recovery works more effectively to find the messages that are deleted lately because the data of the messages have not been wiped out from the phone. However, if you search for old messages/iMessages that are deleted from months or even a year ago, you may use the FonePaw software to find the old text messages/iMessages from your iTunes/iCloud backups.
The method is quite similar with that of searching recently deleted messages, only that you should have backups that were created months or years ago stored on PC or iCloud and you don't have to connect your iPhone to PC.
On FonePaw iPhone Data Recovery, choose 'Recover from iTunes(iCloud) Backup File', select the right backup according to its date, you can then search and see your old messages/iMessages on the software.
Part 4. How to Search and Backup SMS on iPhone X/8/7/7 Plus/6
Like FonePaw iPhone Data Recovery which can help you search deleted iPhone text messages, iOS Data Backup & Restore is another tool that let you find all text messages on your iPhone by inputting the keyword of the message content or sender's name, phone number of a message. It can also backup text messages/iMessages history on your iPhone.
Free download iOS Data Backup & Restore on a PC.
DownloadOpen the program and connect your iPhone with USB cable. Then use the program to make a backup of text messages/iMessages on your iPhone. (Full guide on how to backup messages on iPhone)
When the backup is done, click Restore iOS Data to view the backup.
Enter word, phone number, contact name on the search bar to search text messages/iMessages. You can also click Restore to PC to view the messages on PC or Restore to Device to share the messages to other iPhone.
Apart from searching for deleted SMS on iPhone, you can also take advantage of FonePaw iPhone Data Recovery to search notes, contacts, WhatsApp messages, Safari bookmarks, Safari history, etc. on iPhone and iPad. Start here!
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Apple's Messages app, which replaced iMessage in iOS 8, can extend your text messaging from your iPhone to your iPad. It can also work as a standalone text messaging app for those who don't own an iPhone.
iMessages are a free feature that route text messages through Apple's servers and does away with the 144 character limit of SMS messages. And a nice feature of Messages is that you can configure it to use your email address, your phone number, or both.
These instructions apply to devices running iOS 8.1 and later.
How to Set Up iMessage
To set up iMessage on iPad, you'll need to make a few changes in the Settings app. Here's how to do it.
First, go to the iPad's Settings by tapping the icon that looks like gears turning.
Scroll down the left-side menu until you locate Messages.
iMessage should be on (green) by default, but if the on/off slider next to it is set to off, tap the slider to turn iMessage back on.
You may need to log in with your Apple ID at this point.
Next, you will want to configure how you can be reached on iMessage. Tap the heading that reads Send & Receive just below the 'Send Read Receipts' setting.
The next screen will let you set up the addresses people can contact you at using iMessage. If you have an iPhone attached to your Apple ID, you should see the phone number listed here.
If you have several iPhones that log into the same address, you may see several phone numbers. You will also see any email addresses you have attached to your account.
If you have multiple phone numbers listed, and you are the only user of the iPad, it may be better to uncheck any phone number that is not yours. Doing so will keep you from receiving text messages for other members of your family.
Friends and family can also send text messages to the email address you check in on this screen.
Tap a phone number or email address to activate it.
You must have at least one destination checked on this screen if you have iMessage turned on. So if you want to uncheck your phone number but it is grayed out, you will need to check your email address or another phone number first.
Now that this is set up, you can use the Messages app to keep in contact with your friends and family without needing an iPhone.
How to Send More Than Just Text in an iMessage
In the Messages app, you can tap the heart with two fingers to draw a message to a friend. You can also tap the button with an A on it to send animated GIFs, music or other stickers you have purchased through the App Store.
Apple Imessage History
The Photos icon lets you attach pictures and movies from your Camera Roll. You can also send money via iMessage with the Apple Pay button.
Download Messages Mac
The images section contains the animated GIFs that come with the iPad. There's enough variety there that you should be able to express almost any emotion.
If you hold down the response bubble from a friend, you will see even more options to customize your text by adding a thumbs up or a heart to their response.