Downloading Deleted messages from Messages in iCloud

After Clicking 'Manage Storage' in Messages tab in iCloud, there is an option to 'Turn Off & Delete from iCloud'. Under this option it reads, "Turns off Messages in iCloud on all your devices. You'll have 30 days to download your messages from iCloud." I have deleted my messages and now I want to download them from iCloud. I am well within the 30 day window, how do I download the messages?

I have gotten a lot of answers that don't actually answer this specific questions. I would like to know, specifically, how do I download these messages after selecting this 'Turn Off and Delete from iCloud' option.

iPhone 14

Posted on Jul 22, 2025 07:01 AM

30 replies

kpile Author

Level 1

21 points

Jul 25, 2025 06:28 AM in response to PHFish

Where are you seeing the 'Recover' button? Is this on an iPhone or a Mac?

kpile Author

Level 1

21 points

Jul 25, 2025 06:29 AM in response to PHFish

I too am shocked that there is not a simple response to this. It seems like no one is aware of how this function works.

shoeluvr13

Level 6

18,445 points

Jul 25, 2025 12:05 PM in response to PHFish

What happens when you select Recover?

kpile Author

Level 1

21 points

Jul 25, 2025 12:17 PM in response to shoeluvr13

On the iPhone there is no recover button.

muguy

Level 10

90,068 points

Jul 26, 2025 05:45 AM in response to kpile

No, there isn’t. The messages are on your device. If you had messages that needed to download, it would say “downloading,” and download the messages unless you paused the download.

kpile Author

Level 1

21 points

Jul 30, 2025 06:48 AM in response to muguy

I am trying to recover messages that were not on my phone. they were only in the cloud. How do I initiate the download that the iMessage in the Cloud was talking about?