How to Recover Deleted Info from Snapchat on an iPhone

Don't hate me. We know many of you want your Snapchat usage to be secret, but sometimes... sometimes there are just times when we need to see that deleted Snapchat history. Maybe your son is getting a harassing amount of snaps from a kid at school. Maybe your daughter is grounded but Snapping away in secret. Maybe you're stupid like me and sent important information via Snapchat IM instead of a text message (and I really would like that information back!)

So what are we going to recover? At the moment, we're going to recover Snapchat "metadata" (aka data about data,) this includes:

• The Snapchat username in use on this iPhone
• Information about incoming and outgoing snaps. Who the user is sending messages to, and who is sending them messages.
• Timestamps of some of the incoming and outgoing snaps. Who and when the user is sending and receiving messages.
• Information about Snapchat "stories" (videos kind-of like away messages for AIM) this user has received.
• Some (emphasis on "some") of the Snapchat instant message text. We're wokring on figuring out when and why some of it sticks around, but we'll show you what we can!

The best way to see what is available is to take a look, so let's get started. 

Step 1: Backup the iPhone in iTunes

We're going to get our Snapchat information via the files that are available when you backup the iPhone in iTunes. The short version of how to backup: plug the iPhone into iTunes and press the "Back Up Now" button that appears in the Summary tab. Sometimes it's not so simple though, and you may need this link on how to backup your iPhone.

(Sidebar: You can also setup an iPhone for remote backup via wifi. This is handy if you need to catch someone red-handed... perhaps in that ground-from-snapchat situation. If you're curious about how to do this, let me know via the comments or an email and we'll write it up!)

Step 2: Download Decipher Backup Browser

Our Snapchat recovery is a feature within our Decipher Backup Browser, software for viewing all of the files in your iPhone backups. You can download it from our product website:

http://deciphertools.com/download-decipher-backup-browser.html

Step 3: Run Decipher Backup Browser

Install and run Decipher Backup Browser, and it will scan your iTunes backup folder for all of your backup files. Select the device and backup you're interested in viewing (each backup should have a date on it,) and then select "Snapchat Metadata."

Step 4: Peruse Carefully

You'll see a few different sections within our recovery: instant messages, send/receive info, timestamps, as well as a big section of "stuff" we found that may or may not be interesting.

Please be conservative in your evaluation of this information, especially the last "stuff" section. See grandma's name in the "stuff" section? Well, remember that Snapchat can scan your contacts, so lots of names may appear that have nothing to do with Snapchat. We're pretty confident about the send/receive information and timestamps, but be cautious of timestamps if the phone has been traveling between timezones recently.