If you can't find the chat.DB files that you need, you can use a reliable third-party program to restore your messages. To find the deleted iMessage, you should open the Chat.DB file with programs like TextEdit. Step 3Chat.db is the database that keeps a record of your previous and current chat histories. That works together with other components of the messages folder to store your data.

The archive folder is the mirror image of your data.

These sub-folders have images, videos, and audio files that you received in iMessage conversation.

The attachment folder contains different sub-folders.

Step 2Messages folder contains two subfolders named Attachment, Archive, CloudKitMetaData, and your chat database in the form of chat.db, which contains your iMessages history.

This path would take you directly to the messages folder. Step 1Open your Finder box and insert the path ~/Library/Messages and press the Go button. Follow this quick tutorial to get access to your messages folder. If you want to retrieve your lost conversation threads, the best way is to go to the Messages folder and restore your data. Note: If you have set a storage limit for your stored messages, Mac will replace your old messages with the new ones once the limit is reached. Follow the steps below to find deleted or old iMessages on your Mac. If you have chosen to save iMessage history, the i Messages are stored in ~/Library/Messages by default. Step 2Make sure that the option 'Save history when conversations are closed' is checked.

Open the Messages app and go to Preferences > General. Step 1You can choose where to save your chat history from the Messages app. Therefore, if you are using macOS later than Sierra and want to recover iMessages, give a cross-check to ensure that the messages have been saved on your Mac hard drive. On macOS High Sierra/Mojave/Catalina, you can decide whether to keep iMessages to your Mac hard disk or just storing them to iCloud.

However, due to space consumption issues, this feature was altered to suit your preferences. Before macOS Sierra in 2016, all iMessages are stored on Mac hard drive by default. On macOS Sierra and earlier, all iMessages are stored on Mac hard drive by default. How to View Old iMessages on Mac from iCloud?.How to Restore Old iMessages from Time Machine?.How to Find Recently Deleted Albums on Mac?.

How to see deleted imessages on mac