I want to delete messages from my MacBook but keep them in iCloud

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I want to delete messages from my MacBook but keep them in iCloud

I want to delete messages from my MacBook's local storage (they're taking up too much space), but keep them in icloud. For example, my iphone is setup to sync to the cloud, so only recent messages are stored on phone and the rest is on icloud. I want to do the same thing with my macbook.

My current macbook pro settings are to keep messages "forever" and I have "enable messages in icloud" turned OFF. I'm wondering, if I leave "Enable Messages in iCloud" off, and change keep messages to "30 days" if that will free up local storage, but that all my iphone imessages will still be backed up to the icloud?

MacBook Pro (2020 and later)

Posted on Mar 11, 2022 3:04 PM

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Answer 1

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balmandblade Author

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Mar 13, 2022 9:26 AM in response to FoxFifth

Maybe you can help clarify. You say that isn't your understanding of how iCloud Messages works on the iPhone, but my phone has 4.54 GB of Messages stored on the iPhone local storage, while iCloud storage shows I have 32.6 GB of messages stored... so apparently only my most recent Messages are stored locally on iPhone and the older ones are on the cloud, right?

So I'm wondering how to replicate this on the macbook pro.

So let's play out two scenarios on the macbook pro:

If I have "enable messages in icloud" turn ON, and I delete a message from my wife, is it deleted on macbook and also from icloud, and thus also from iPhone? That makes sense.
But, If I have "enable messages in icloud" turned OFF, and I delete a message from my wife, is it deleted just from my macbook or also from iCloud and my iPhone? If it is deleted from everywhere, then what is the difference between the two options for enabling messages in iCloud? If it isn't deleted everywhere, then it should only be deleted on local macbook pro, right??

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Answer 2

FoxFifth

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Mar 11, 2022 3:20 PM in response to balmandblade

Sorry, that isn't my understanding of how iCloud Messages works on your iPhone and also isn't how it works on a Mac. See the information in Use Messages in iCloud - Apple Support

Have you ever tried to recover a message from iCloud after it was removed from your iPhone? I don't know of any way to do that.

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Answer 3

balmandblade Author

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Mar 13, 2022 11:02 AM in response to FoxFifth

The solution they gave is to turn "enable messages in icloud" ON - then it will act like the iphone and only store the essentials locally on the macbook, while the rest of the message are kept on icloud.

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Answer 4

FoxFifth

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Mar 13, 2022 9:40 AM in response to balmandblade

You may want to contact Apple Support -- there is a Get Support link at the top right of this page.

My understanding of iCloud Messages is that it works the way all other Apple syncing services do; if that is correct, when you delete a message from a device it would be deleted from that device, from iCloud and from any other devices where iCloud Messages is turned on. That doesn't explain why iCloud is showing more GB than your device.

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Answer 5

balmandblade Author

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Mar 13, 2022 2:13 PM in response to FoxFifth

I believe they're stored on iCloud. I think it is similar to how photos are stored on the cloud. You can still get them on your phone, but only when you try to access them (then it will download the high-res version). Just my guess.

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Answer 6

FoxFifth

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Mar 13, 2022 2:26 PM in response to balmandblade

With Photos you can view a small optimized version of the photo on your phone and when you open that it will download. There is nothing similar to that with Messages. Again, I don't know of a way that you can retrieve a deleted message from iCloud. I'm only bringing that up again since you seem to believe that your deleted messages can be recovered and I don't want you to rely on that if it is not in fact possible -- and I believe it is not.

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Answer 7

balmandblade Author

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Mar 13, 2022 2:42 PM in response to FoxFifth

No, I'm not saying you can retrieve deleted messages from iCloud. I'm saying that when you choose the option on a macbook to enable iCloud messages, it will store them on the cloud and not locally, similar to how on the phone if you have icloud enabled, it will store the majority of your messages on the cloud and only the most recent ones locally.

The comparison I'm making to photos is that when you scroll back through messages, I believe the Messages app will pull from the cloud when you get to older messages that aren't stored locally on your phone or macbook.

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Answer 8

FoxFifth

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Mar 13, 2022 2:56 PM in response to balmandblade

The following word "delete" from your original post is what I was referring to:

I want to delete messages from my MacBook's local storage (they're taking up too much space), but keep them in icloud.

That is not possible with messages on a Mac or any other device to the best of my knowledge and I was trying to make certain that you are not relying on the belief that it is possible without some other source of verification that I am wrong.

The only way that I know of that it would save space is with attachments on messages that have not been deleted.

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Answer 9

balmandblade Author

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Mar 13, 2022 3:06 PM in response to FoxFifth

Ah, I see. That's what I originally wanted, but Apple support informed me that simply enabling the message in iCloud will accomplish the same purpose... they won't be stored locally on the macbook but they will be kept on the cloud instead.

Thanks for following up.

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Answer 10

FoxFifth

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Mar 13, 2022 11:31 AM in response to balmandblade

And how would you ever recover or access any of those messages that are no longer on your iPhone or Mac? I don't think it's possible -- but could be wrong.

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I want to delete messages from my MacBook but keep them in iCloud

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