I’m trying to get old deleted messages

Recover Deleted Texts

If iCloud is set to ON for text messages and you deleted some text messages then they are gone from iCloud so cannot retrieved! If this is the case then it is all over and no need to read further.

 If you do not use iCloud for text messages then you can restore your iPhone from a backup on your iCloud account (if you use iCloud to back up your iPhone). Once you restore then your texts will only be as current as when the back up was created. Here is ➔ How to restore your iPhone from an iCloud back up.

The other option is to restore your iPhone from a backup that you may have created on your computer. Once again, if you restore your iPhone from a computer back up then your texts will only be as current as the day and time the backup was created. 

If you have a backup created on your computer and If you choose to restore your iPhone from your iPhone from it then here is how to do it ➔ Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch from a backup - Apple Support

Axel F.

They’re deleted. Gone.

If Messages was enabled for and using iCloud, there is no recovery. Deleted messages are deleted.

If Messages was not using uCloud and if you have a pre-deletion backup and if you restore that backup (and which reverts all data and all apps on the device to prior to the deletion with that restore), you might get the deleted messages back.