Messages finish indexing

I don’t even use iCloud. I just turned it on and then off and it sound downloading messages from iCloud but I have like maybe 1gb of messages on iCloud. I have my messages set to “keep forever”. I have thousands of pictures and messages on my phone. I can search “sorry” and the text message of my Roomate apologizing to me that I got 4 hours ago won’t even show up. I have free unlimited google drive space to save all of my photos and anything important. I wish Apple can just fix this issue. It is lowkey just a thing they did to get everyone to buy iCloud storage.

I just updated my phone and had the same issue. Found this fix on Reddit and it worked for me:

Settings > Your Name > iCloud > turn on iCloud for Messages.

In Messages there will be a status bar along the bottom showing it is uploading messages.

https://www.reddit.com/user/DomDj/

I fixed mine... tried all the other suggestions and none of them corrected the issue except THIS ONE

Here’s what I did.....

1) went to Apple ID signed in to access icloud

2) went to iMessage toggle and turned off

3)this prompts iMessage to disable and Download

4) when this prompts press download and disable messages as per picture below

5) attach your iphone to your charger and access wifi if not already

6) your images will start to download and you will start to see each contact iMessage add the images, attachments etc that’s where previous to the update you could just hit info beside the contact and all the images were there, they will appear again...

7) be sure to turn the iMessage toggle back on after disabling it, you don’t have to wait. Do this right away...

8) can’t believe Apple couldn’t have posted this LOL

good luck!!

This is the same thing for me. Photos are there if I scroll back through the thread, and for a couple threads, they appear when I click on the i but most have the message that they will be available one messages finishes indexing. This needs to be fixed Apple!

I used the “Turn on iCloud” method just for messages and it worked for me. You may have to buy more iCloud storage (is there a conspiracy here?) but it only cost me $.99. It does take a while (18 GB of messages) so I just let it run all night and got everything back, except the indexing error message, the next morning. Just made an iTunes backup of the fixed phone and will now get off iCloud and save $.99 a month, lol. Have patience with this method; someone said “I have tried toggling on/off Messages in iCloud at least a dozen times with no luck” but that’s not how it works. Follow the tip above... good luck.

After 7 iPhone restore's, multiple chats with Apple Support, a call to Apple Support and 2 visits to the Genius Bar i believe I have figured out the problem. Apple could not figure out the issue or the Genius bar.

So basically apple tells you after iphone migration to leave the phone that's being migrated connected to WiFi for 24-48 hours.

I did this and all my messages said "more photos will be shown once messages finishes indexing"

My next attempt was to backup the phone via my Mac Book. To which my first attempt I noticed, after restoring the phone from backup it was still using icloud. The genius bar told me that was "strange" a restore from backup should simply upload everything to the phone as is.

Well after extensive research, apple new policy of "backup to your computer"

A backup from your a computer doesn't include:

• Content from the iTunes and App Stores, or PDFs downloaded directly to Apple Books
• Content synced from iTunes, like imported MP3s or CDs, videos, books, and photos
• Data already stored in iCloud, like iCloud Photos, iMessages, and text (SMS) and multimedia (MMS) messages
• Face ID or Touch ID settings
• Apple Pay information and settings
• Apple Mail data
• Activity, Health, and Keychain data (to back up this content, you'll need to use Encrypted Backup in iTunes.)

So regardless if your backing up from your computer your messages are still being transfered via iCloud.

These are the steps I took.

I deleted my iCloud backup and created a new one. Keep in mind you will still need your old device. I only chose to backup on icloud the essentials such as messages. I restored from my computer backup photos and such.

Restored my iPhone via backup from my computer.

Once restored, I by-passed all the promts to "Set up later in settings"

Once at my home screen I turnded on iCloud

This instantly restored my messages.

I have the same message displayed "more photos will be shown once messages finishes indexing"

Within minutes all my photos within messages were showing up in the "info" tab. My messages backup was 23gb and was done within the hour.

Again, take in mind i tried almost every option available to me that apple told me to do and what i was thinking of. Glad to say I finally got it to work.

Hope this helps.

I noticed this when I switched from my iPhone XS to 11 Pro, as well as on my iPad when I upgraded to iOS 13. I have been back and forth with Apple support since September 25 when I first noticed the issue. I’ve been through every troubleshooting step they’ve asked of me and still nothing. I’ve spoken to multiple Senior Advisors and nothing. If you have figured out something that has worked for you, please let me know.

This is exactly what i did as well and fixed mine immediately! I wish I had seen FionaC13's post earlier:

FionaC13

User level:

Level 1

(4 points)

Oct 9, 2019 12:39 AM in response to Aliestrema

I fixed mine... tried all the other suggestions and none of them corrected the issue except THIS ONE

Here’s what I did.....

1) went to Apple ID signed in to access icloud

2) went to iMessage toggle and turned off

3)this prompts iMessage to disable and Download

4) when this prompts press download and disable messages as per picture below

5) attach your iphone to your charger and access wifi if not already

6) your images will start to download and you will start to see each contact iMessage add the images, attachments etc that’s where previous to the update you could just hit info beside the contact and all the images were there, they will appear again...

7) be sure to turn the iMessage toggle back on after disabling it, you don’t have to wait. Do this right away...

8) can’t believe Apple couldn’t have posted this LOL

good luck!!

I'm experiencing the photos not being indexed as well but I first noticed this issue while trying to do a search within Messages app (pull down search bar). Only searches really recent stuff when it used to search all message history no matter how old before this latest update.

This is insane. I woke up this morning and my phone automatically updated which i have turned off. Photos that were sent to me 3 days ago are missing and not downloading. I get the same "indexing" message at the bottom and when i click to download nothing happens. I've tried the steps below but nothing is helping. Apparently this is a new issue?

I have also tried every suggestion with no results. I have been engaged in a week plus long back & forth with Apple Support....with no resolution. Maybe there will be a fix with 13.2?

How long did you wait? I'm currently doing the above mentioned fix, and items are slowly (and surely) updating back to normal. I'm plugged into power and on WiFi. I'm not sure if that's the cure or not, but I thought I'd try and help. :-)

I had this same issue after I utilized my most recent iCloud Backup for my new iPhone 11 Pro. Try going to Settings > Phone > My Number. My phone number was not entered under the 'My Number' tab. I entered my phone number and immediately everything repopulated (photos, links, etc).

so I left my mob over night & hoped the pics would download. Strangely I have one txt message / contact & his pics have all appeared. Not for everyone though. If I scroll up through the txt msg then the pics are downloaded but still do not appear in the media list. I don’t have the time to sit & scroll up through all my txt msgs to find a pic! 🥵

Same issue although under the info button I git an option to download images from the iCloud . Clicked that then nothing .. no pics loaded! I hope the images have not been lost!