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How do I delete and download Messages from iCloud

My iCloud is almost full and I don't want or need to pay for a bigger plan. Instead I would like to get rid of messages that are years old. When I go to iCloud on my device and click manage storage and then select Messages from the list, it offers me a Disable & Delete option. Clicking this brings up a warning "This will disable Messages in iCloud and delete all your messaged stored in iCloud. You have 30 days to download your messages". Great. But how do I download my messages?

Posted on Jun 6, 2022 3:13 AM

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Posted on Jun 8, 2022 12:34 AM

Thanks, I guess I'm not very clear. I'm looking for how to download all of my messages stored in iCloud en masse. I know how to download a single message and a message thread-- these are explained in the links provided above-- but what is not explained is how to download all of the messages stored in iCloud.


I have the free 5Gb storage plan and more than half of that is used up by Messages. I don't need to have ready access to messages I sent in 2015 though I would like to archive them (just in case someone wants to write a multivolume biography of my extraordinarily mundane life). I want to delete all of my messages that are older than 6 months from iCloud and on all my devices but first I want to download and save them.


As the warning says clicking the button will disable messages and delete them in iCloud. This I will do after first disabling Messages syncing on my devices. This should mean that I have my most recent messages stored on my devices and that the syncing function with iCloud is severed. I can then 'disable and delete' the Messages in iCloud and I should then be able to download them according to the warning. Once I figure out how to download them all, I will then return to my devices, and delete all the messages that are older than 6 months. Now if there is some way to instruct iCloud to just go ahead and delete all the messages I downloaded right away that would be great otherwise I will have to wait the 30 days. After 30 days I will than turn on messages iCloud syncing again on my devices so that the only messages I have stored in the cloud are 7 months old (ie, the six months I spared from deletion plus the one month I've had to wait for iCloud to delete my older messages). This should free up at least 2Gb of space in iCloud which will probably last me another 5 years until I'll need to purge my messages again.


So what I'm looking for is how to download all of my messages from iCloud. The Apple support pages do not say how to do this, only how to download individual messages and threads.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 8, 2022 12:34 AM in response to tygb

Thanks, I guess I'm not very clear. I'm looking for how to download all of my messages stored in iCloud en masse. I know how to download a single message and a message thread-- these are explained in the links provided above-- but what is not explained is how to download all of the messages stored in iCloud.


I have the free 5Gb storage plan and more than half of that is used up by Messages. I don't need to have ready access to messages I sent in 2015 though I would like to archive them (just in case someone wants to write a multivolume biography of my extraordinarily mundane life). I want to delete all of my messages that are older than 6 months from iCloud and on all my devices but first I want to download and save them.


As the warning says clicking the button will disable messages and delete them in iCloud. This I will do after first disabling Messages syncing on my devices. This should mean that I have my most recent messages stored on my devices and that the syncing function with iCloud is severed. I can then 'disable and delete' the Messages in iCloud and I should then be able to download them according to the warning. Once I figure out how to download them all, I will then return to my devices, and delete all the messages that are older than 6 months. Now if there is some way to instruct iCloud to just go ahead and delete all the messages I downloaded right away that would be great otherwise I will have to wait the 30 days. After 30 days I will than turn on messages iCloud syncing again on my devices so that the only messages I have stored in the cloud are 7 months old (ie, the six months I spared from deletion plus the one month I've had to wait for iCloud to delete my older messages). This should free up at least 2Gb of space in iCloud which will probably last me another 5 years until I'll need to purge my messages again.


So what I'm looking for is how to download all of my messages from iCloud. The Apple support pages do not say how to do this, only how to download individual messages and threads.

Jun 6, 2022 11:29 PM in response to razmee209

Thanks Razmee but all of the support link info I already know. My question was how to download the messages. As stated, the warning before the delete and disable function is activated says that I will have 30 days to download my messages before they are permanently deleted. I have not found a 'download your messages' button or link nor have I found any instructions for downloading messages except for one at a time. I want to download my messages from when I joined up to 3 months ago and then delete them from icloud and all devices (saving only the most recent 3 months worth).

Jun 7, 2022 1:02 AM in response to Lars Hansen

As per the article Manage your iCloud storage - Apple Support

If you run out of iCloud storage, your device won’t back up to iCloud, new photos and videos won't upload to iCloud Photos, and iCloud Drive, other iCloud apps, and messages won't stay up to date across your devices.

You can delete the conversation from messages application Delete messages and conversations in Messages on Mac - Apple Support

Delete messages on iPhone - Apple Support

Delete messages on iPad - Apple Support

Note : messages can't be viewed if you sign in with www.icloud.com with account credentials from a browser , they are only synced with devices it could be Mac / iPhone / iPad so they can't be downloaded , the messages are only saved in devices .

Coming to the point for Mac - Clicking this brings up a warning "This will disable Messages in iCloud and delete all your messaged stored in iCloud. You have 30 days to download your messages".

You can click on cancel , the messages that were are about to be erased from synced devices Mac or others after 30 days permanently will be restored .




Jun 8, 2022 5:11 AM in response to tygb

Thanks Tygb. I believe that it is more than just a syncing function as the messages are stored in the cloud and not all messages are kept locally on devices. Only the most recently view are preserved on the local device and the rest are uploaded, stored and retrieved when needed from the cloud.


I understand that there is nothing mentioned in the article about downloading which is why I have asked for help since the 'disable and delete' warning specifically says that I have 30 days to download the messages. This lead me to believe that there would be a way to do it.

Jun 6, 2022 9:42 AM in response to Lars Hansen

Lars Hansen wrote:

My iCloud is almost full and I don't want or need to pay for a bigger plan. Instead I would like to get rid of messages that are years old. When I go to iCloud on my device and click manage storage and then select Messages from the list, it offers me a Disable & Delete option. Clicking this brings up a warning "This will disable Messages in iCloud and delete all your messaged stored in iCloud. You have 30 days to download your messages". Great. But how do I download my messages?

Read how it works https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208532

Jun 8, 2022 1:11 AM in response to Lars Hansen

There is no feature to download messages or archive them as messages application is just a syncing service simply turning on messages box in iPhone / Mac .

You can see the article nothing is mentioned about downloading Archive or make copies of the information you store in iCloud - Apple Support

Send feedback Feedback - Messages - Apple

Read https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/messages/icht20001/mac

How do I delete and download Messages from iCloud

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