The short answer: Messenger has no notification history of its own. On Android, past Messenger notifications are in Settings → Notifications → Notification history, but only if that switch was on when they arrived, and only for about a day.
Most of the time you don’t need Messenger’s notifications, because the message is still in the chat. It matters when it isn’t: the sender unsent it, or you cleared an alert and can’t tell which chat it came from.
Where past Messenger notifications are
Messenger doesn’t keep a notification log. Android does:
Settings → Notifications → Notification history → turn on Use notification history.
Samsung puts it under Notifications → Advanced settings (Samsung guide). Some Xiaomi builds don’t include it (Xiaomi guide). If you can’t find it, search Settings for history.
Messenger notifications are listed under Messenger with the sender’s name, the message text and the time. Tapping one opens Messenger.
Unsent messages
When someone unsends a message, Messenger removes it from the chat. The notification you received is a separate copy on your phone, though. If notification history was on when it arrived, the text is usually still listed there after the message is unsent.
Three conditions all have to be true:
- Notification history was on before the message arrived. Turning it on afterwards doesn’t help.
- It was in the last day. History drops older entries.
- The notification showed the text. If Messenger’s notification previews are off, the notification only said “New message”, and that’s all history has.
The same mechanism works for WhatsApp, which is covered in detail in how to read deleted WhatsApp messages.
Make sure Messenger shows the message text
A notification can only be kept if it contains the message. Check two places:
- In Messenger: your profile picture → Notifications & sounds → make sure Show previews is on.
- In Android: Settings → Apps → Messenger → Notifications, and check that chat notifications are allowed.
Muted chats and message requests don’t send notifications, so nothing from them can be kept.
Keeping Messenger notifications for longer
If a day isn’t enough, or you want one person’s messages together, you need a notification saver. It writes each notification down as it arrives using Android’s notification access permission.
NotiWeave has Messenger ticked by default when you set it up. It saves each Messenger notification into one thread per sender, so a week of messages from one person reads like a conversation. An unsent message is still in that thread, because the copy was written when the notification arrived. Nothing ages out after a day.
Messenger notifications saved as one thread per sender, in date order. A message the sender unsends is still here, because this copy was made when it arrived.
Two honest limits: it only saves notifications that arrive after you set it up, and it keeps what the notification showed, so photos and voice notes aren’t always included. Everything stays on your phone, as the privacy policy explains.
Common questions
Does Messenger have notification history?
No. Messenger keeps your chats but no log of notifications. Android’s notification history, or a notification saver app, is the only place a dismissed Messenger notification is kept.
Can I see an unsent Messenger message?
Sometimes. If notification history was on and the notification showed the text, it’s usually still listed there for about a day. If not, it can’t be recovered.
How do I find a Messenger notification I swiped away?
Open Settings → Notifications → Notification history and look under Messenger. This only works if history was on before you swiped it away.
Why does notification history show “New message” instead of the text?
Messenger’s notification previews are off. Turn on Show previews in Messenger’s Notifications & sounds settings so future notifications include the text.
Does this work for Facebook notifications too?
Yes. Facebook app notifications are recorded the same way, under the Facebook app.
Turn on Android’s notification history today. It’s the only place a Messenger notification is kept after you clear it.