Restore Deleted Messages on older iPhone

Hey there mxmln320,

If you have a backup containing these messages, you would need to restore from that backup on your device; however, this step would require you to replace all current data on the phone with the data from that backup, so some information might be lost.

If you want to restore from a backup, follow these steps:

1. Turn on your device. You should see a Hello screen. If you already set up your device, you need to erase all of its content before you can use these steps to restore from your backup.

2. Follow the onscreen setup steps until you reach the Apps & Data screen, then tap Restore from iCloud Backup. 

3. Sign in to iCloud with your Apple ID.

4. Choose a backup. Look at the date and size of each and pick the most relevant. After you choose a backup, the transfer starts. If a message says that a newer version of software is required, follow the onscreen steps to update. If you don't see onscreen steps to help you update, learn what to do.

5. When asked, sign in with your Apple ID to restore your apps and purchases. If you've purchased iTunes or App Store content using multiple Apple IDs, you'll be asked to sign in to each. If you can't remember your password, you can tap Skip this Step and sign in later. You won't be able to use the apps until you sign in with your Apple ID.

6. Stay connected to Wi-Fi and wait for a progress bar to appear and complete. Depending on the size of the backup and the network speed, the progress bar might need a few minutes to an hour to complete. If you disconnect from Wi-Fi too soon, the progress will pause until you reconnect.

7. Now you can finish setup and enjoy your device. Content like your apps, photos, music, and other information will continue to restore in the background for the next several hours or days, depending on the amount of information there is. Try to connect often to Wi-Fi and power to let the process complete.

Get help with restoring from your iCloud backup.

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support

Take care!

Since the messages are still somewhere on my phone, I would like to know if there is a way to restore them.

I do not have any iCloud nor Physical backups before mid-2020, so restoring the phone off of a backup is not an option.

The bottom line given this information, there is unfortunately no way to restore the messages.