iMessage not showing previous messages on some threads

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Level 1

20 points

iMessage not showing previous messages on some threads

Today I tried to review older messages from my sister to verify something and couldn’t go back further than Saturday January 7, 2023. I looked at a couple of other threads and noticed that every thread with her is having this issue of not being able to go back very far. And sometimes the thread can go back further than other times (for instance my group chat with her and my mom can sometimes go back to January 3, sometimes only to yesterday evening). It is ONLY threads with her, and ONLY the actual messages. I can still see all the pictures she has previously sent. All my other iMessage and SMS threads are fine. I have message settings set to keep forever. Nothing is showing up in recently deleted. I have never synced my messages to iCloud (not enough room) I have always just made a backup on my computer. Since my last backup was months ago, I don’t want to restore from backup. I’m just trying to figure out if there’s anyway to get the message threads back. I believe they’ve got to be somewhere since all the pictures and links we sent each other are still there. It just started happening today - I sent a screenshot from an old thread last week without an issue.

iPhone 12 Pro Max, iOS 16

Posted on Jan 11, 2023 8:59 PM

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Answer 1

SravanKrA

Level 10

433,304 points

Jan 11, 2023 10:03 PM in response to candra275

I can see that you have checked almost everything as you said...

All my other iMessage and SMS threads are fine.

I have message settings set to keep forever.

Nothing is showing up in recently deleted.

I have never synced my messages to iCloud

It just started happening today - I sent a screenshot from an old thread last week without an issue.

Though what is not clear is...

It is ONLY threads with her, and ONLY the actual messages. What does "actual message" mean?

Do you have any type of filter set using third party apps? Settings > Messages > Unknown and Spam > SMS Filter [Tick None here]

Have you recently updated her contact details in the Contacts App?
Have you removed an email account which may have held her contact details in a different format? When you look deeply you will find that Contacts are neither stored on an iPhone nor on SIM. They are synced to an email account that you may have added and enabled Contacts. It could be Google, iCloud, AOL, Exchange, Outlook, Yahoo or any Other email client server.

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Answer 2

candra275 Author

Level 1

20 points

Jan 12, 2023 9:40 PM in response to SravanKrA

When I say “actual message” I mean the text that was sent. Specifically, the thread cuts off when I scroll up. Instead of refreshing and loading older messages, it just rebounds as if I have reached the beginning of the thread. The date I can scroll back to in each individual thread changes, (for instance, on my message thread with just her, sometimes it will load messages up to a week old, sometimes (like right now) I can only go back to yesterday evening).

To answer your other questions:

under Message Filtering, ‘Filter Unknown Senders’ is not ticked. I don’t see any option for “unknown and spam” nor “sms filter”
I have not changed, added or deleted any email addresses from my Apple ID or phone. I believe my contacts are technically from iCloud. Interestingly, when i now go to my iCloud, contacts is not even an option. Just my calendar, photos, notes, drive and numbers (for some reason, I have literally never used this app and don’t even know what it does). But on my phone it still shows that all of my contacts are from iCloud.

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iMessage not showing previous messages on some threads

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