Sometimes you might want to revive old memories with someone on Instagram, so you read old chats. However, if you want to see old DMs on Instagram, you need to spend a long time scrolling down your inbox.
It seems frustrating, and nobody would like that. So, you may wonder how to see old messages on Instagram without hassle?
Here, I’ll show you how to see old Instagram messages quickly. Additionally, if you’ve accidentally lost your chats and messages on Instagram, and are now asking if Instagram messages are deleted forever, keep reading. By the end of this post, I’ll show you how to recover deleted Instagram messages when you can’t find them on your device. So, let’s get started.
Table of Contents
How To See Old Messages On Instagram App (iPhone & Android)
Follow the steps below to find and read old messages on Instagram either on Android or iPhone.
- Go to your Instagram app and open it.
- In the top right corner, tap on the message icon.
3. You can scroll through your DM inbox to see old Instagram messages from different people. However, if you want to find specific old messages from a conversation with someone, tap on the top and scroll up.
4. This way, all Instagram chat history won’t be loaded at once. Accordingly, tapping several times may be necessary depending on the number of conversations you have.
When you don’t have a lot of chat data, this method works well. But suppose you have thousands of messages in a conversation, and you’d like to know how to see old messages on Instagram without scrolling. Keep reading to find the answer in the next section.
How to See Old Messages on Instagram without Scrolling
Follow the steps below to view old Instagram messages without scrolling:
- First, go to your profile at the bottom right of your Instagram page.
- Next, tap on the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.
- Then select ‘Your activity.’
- Scroll to the bottom and tap on ‘Download your Information.’
- Select ‘Download or transfer information.’
- Next, choose ‘Some of your information.’
- Click on ‘Messages’ and press Next. Turn the toggle on for ‘Download to device’ and then click on Next.
- After that, you can choose the date range and format at the bottom.
- Then, hit ‘Create files.’
- It will take about 10 minutes to access those files. You can now view and check your old Instagram direct messages directly from the downloaded zip file.
Since scrolling and reading these messages on the computer would be much easier than on your phone, we’ll tell you how to see old direct messages on Instagram on PCs.
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How To See Old Instagram Messages On PC
Instagram direct messaging is also available on the web platform but with fewer features. For example, you can only use the call, send voice messages, react to a chat, etc.
So if you want to know how to find old messages on Instagram PC, follow these steps:
- First, Open the official Instagram website on your computer and log into your account.
- Click the paper airplane icon in the upper right corner.
- Open the conversation.
Unlike the Instagram app, you can’t search for messages here. To see old direct messages, you need to scroll and find your chat. Since your screen is larger than the mobile app, scrolling is easier on your desktop. However, it still takes a lot of time.
How to Search for Specific Old Messages on Instagram App
- First, ensure that your Instagram app is updated.
- At the top right corner, tap the messenger icon.
- Choose a conversation you want to search for the specific old Instagram message.
- Then tap the person or group chat name at the top.
- Now, click on the search icon and type one or several words you remember from that conversation.
- Finally, when you click on the search button, you will see a list of conversations containing those words. It will also show you the date of the message so you can know when that specific message was sent. Using this trick, you can find old messages on Instagram with someone.
How to Check Instagram Chat History
Instagram chat history contains all messages. This feature lets you manage your Instagram messages and save important videos and photos sent by friends.
It’s important to know that Instagram will always keep all your messages and chats on its servers. Consequently, you can restore your chat history even if it is deleted from your device. To check your Instagram chat history, proceed as follows:
- At the bottom right, click on your profile.
- Next, tap the three horizontal lines at the top right.
- Select ‘Account Center’ from the menu.
- Scroll down to find ‘Your Information and Permissions.’
- Choose ‘Download Your Information.’
- Select ‘Some of your information,’ and then choose ‘Messages.’
- Tap ‘Next.’
- Choose the date range for the data you want to download (all time, 3 years, 1 year, etc.).
- Keep the format HTML for easy viewing. Leave the media quality as medium.
- Finally, hit ‘Create File.’
- Once your ZIP file is ready, you’ll get a notification.
By following these steps, you can download your Instagram message history and even recover deleted Instagram messages easily.
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Conclusion
Have you ever been wondering how to see old messages on Instagram very quickly? If yes, you probably know that it takes so much time to scroll through your messages. Here, we discussed a few effective methods on how to see old Instagram messages.
Let us know in the comments below if you have any other questions regarding the old Instagram messages that have not been addressed. We’ll certainly cover them in the next update.
FAQs on How to View Old Messages on Instagram
Now, let’s answer some of your frequently asked questions on this topic.
Q1. Can You Get Old Messages Back on Instagram?
Yes. You can download your Instagram message history following the steps we explained earlier. Instagram will send you a zip file containing all messages from the chosen date. Since Instagram keeps all your messages and chats on its servers, you can get old messages back even if they are deleted from your device.
Q2. Why Can’t I See Previous Messages on Instagram Group Chat?
There are a few different reasons why you might not be able to see previous messages in an Instagram group chat. Sometimes, another member of the group might have deleted the messages, or Instagram might have removed them due to policy violations. Alternatively, the group chat might have a message limit, and older messages may have been automatically deleted to make room for new ones.
If none of the above reasons explain why Instagram is not showing you old messages, there’s a chance that it could be a technical issue. Sometimes glitches or bugs can prevent you from accessing old Instagram messages. If you think this might be the case, try logging out and logging back into Instagram, or clearing your app cache and data.
If still none of these suggestions work, it might be time to reach out to Instagram’s customer support team for more help.
Q3. What Should I Do If the Instagram Download Doesn’t Include the Old Instagram Message I Want to View?
If the Instagram download doesn’t include the old messages you wanted to see, Instagram might have deleted them from its server. It may be possible to recover Instagram messages using third party apps in this case. However, you should be cautious, as many of these services can result in your Instagram account being banned or suspended.
Before downloading any third-party app, make sure it’s trustworthy. Read reviews and Find out what other users are saying about the app.