iMessages not deleting on all devices

FrankBear wrote:

My incoming iMessages sync fine across all of my apple devices (iPhone and iMac ) but when I delete a message on my mac, it does NOT delete on any other apple devices...but when I delete a message on my phone, it DOES delete on my other apple devices.. "Use Messages in iCloud" settings are enabled but deleting does not sync. Incoming and sending new messages works fine. Only issue is with delete on any device BUT my iPhone.

If you have iCloud syncing turned on, it should delete across all devices. My standard suggestion for trying to resolve iMessage problems is to turn off iMessage on all of your devices, restart them, turn iMessage back on on your iPhone. Once it's active there, turn it back on on all the other devices. Then, re-enable Text Message forwarding. It's a bit of a blunt instrument but, it frequently works.

How much space do you have left in iCloud Storage?

Tap Settings on your iPhone

Tap Your Name

Tap iCloud

This is totally normal and it is related to how iMessage Sync works with your Apple ID. Since iMessages arrive on your iPhone, these messages will then be forwarded, kind of "copied" if you wanna call it like that, and then they arrive on your other devices linked to your Apple ID.

However, when you only delete those messages "forwarded" by your iPhone, you are essentially only deleting copies, because the "real" data lays on your iPhone. So in order to keep your messages up to date and deleted as necessary, you should only delete them on your iPhone.

I hope this explanation helps!

The issue is still happening and they only suggestions that work for me (but still require my manual intervention) are to go into Messages settings, verify that they accounts selected (where you can be reached at) are the same on ALL devices. And periodically manually "sync" Messages. I agree that things seems to work less well over time, especially when you have mixed macOS and IOS environments (i.e. a macOS that is older on one device and the latest on another device).

It was a thought, but you clearly have more than enough space in the cloud.

At this point, it would be recommended to reach back out to Apple Support for help. I know you've been to the Genius bar, so maybe call them at: 800-MY-APPLE

I just used the Messages settings on my Mac to turn off iMessages. The iPhone still had it on, so I turned that off and then restarted it. Then restarted the rest using Messages (Mac).

Still not deleting across devices. Sigh.

you will have to get on all your devices and delete what you want because iCloud doesn't keep the iMessage's.

FrankBear wrote:

Strange...It always used to work where whichever device I deleted an iMessage on...ALL other devices would delete it. So if I deleted one on my MAC...it deleted it on my phone. So the whole "forwarded" status didn't work like that before.

And it should work that way. I tested it on my devices before responding. It works exactly as you would like it to work.

It should work the way you want. Do what IdrisSeabright recommended.

It does as well on all of my devices.

That's cause you're perfect! ;-)