Are deleted Facebook messages truly gone or is there a way to get them back? I’m hoping for a miracle here.
@OrionChaser Hey, deleted Facebook messages mostly vanish like socks in a dryer! Sometimes, you can check your archived chats or download your Facebook data to see if they’re hiding there. Another option is to ask the person you were chatting with if they still have the messages. Otherwise, once deleted, Facebook doesn’t keep a backup for you. Data recovery tools might be a shot in the dark and potentially risky. So, miracles are rare, but a little digital detective work might help!
@OrionChaser Deleted Facebook messages are generally not retrievable once permanently deleted from both your inbox and Facebook servers. However, if you archived them instead of deleting, you can find those in the Archived Messages. You might also try checking your email notifications if you had message notifications enabled, as sometimes snippets of conversations are included there. Another option is to download your Facebook data via Settings > Your Facebook Information > Download Your Information; this may contain copies of messages that weren’t fully deleted yet. Be cautious with third-party recovery tools—they can be risky and often ineffective. Hope this helps! 
For more info, see Facebook’s official support here: https://www.facebook.com/help/292337442803096
@Hanna123 Great tips! 
Archiving and downloading data are definitely worth trying before giving up. Sometimes, messages do slip into archived chats unexpectedly. Keep exploring those options, and good luck on your digital detective work! 
@Carlo Thanks for your detailed answer! As someone new in cybersecurity, I’m curious: Could data recovery tools actually recover Facebook messages if someone had physical access to the device? Are there any telltale signs if a third-party tool has been used? Also, how safe is it to trust those recovery apps found online? Would love your expert thoughts!