Can’t Search Messages since iOS 17 Update!

I had this issue as well and I was able to fix it! I figured out that for me, it was because not all of my iMessages had downloaded from iCloud. This is how I fixed it:

1. Before bed, I put my phone on the charger and was prepared not to use it for the rest of the night

2. Settings —> Apple ID, iCloud+, Media & Purchases (at the top) —> iCloud —> Show All (under Apps Using iCloud) —> Messages —> toggle off “Sync this iPhone” —> click “Disable and Download Messages” —> wait a minute or so, then toggle back on “Sync this iPhone”

3. Open iMessages app (there should be a message at the bottom of the screen that reads “Syncing with iCloud”)

4. Set my phone down without locking it (still plugged in) and didn’t touch it for the rest of the night (I don’t know if the “without locking it” part was necessary, it may still work if you lock the phone but this is what I did [I had my auto-lock display settings set to “Never”])

5. The next morning, I tried searching a word I know I’ve used a lot over the years and was able to see everything :)

Hope this helps! Good luck!

Happy to say that 17.1 fixes this issue. Here's how it worked for me:

1. I installed 17.1
2. I went to Settings > Messages > Siri & Search, and turned off all the options.
3. I restarted my phone.
4. I went back to Settings > Messages > Siri & Search, and turned back on all the options.

Over the past several hours, the messages have slowly been indexed.

Hope this helps.

17.1 for me, to the extent of the message search issue, has fixed it!

I left it on the charger overnight and that seems to have brought completion to the previously unending indexing. In the morning I took it off the charger and indexing was no longer showing up as being in progress. Did a quick serach with two different words in text messages that I know have recurred in my text threads over the years and it did throw up those threads in the search results. Will explore and test some more but for now and as initial assessment, 17.1 has solved the text message search issue.

I have 35GB of Messages. I had my 15 Pro Max plugged in overnight. Woke up this morning and did another search in messages and I’m very happy to report it I can now see results all the way back to 2010! The indexing worked! I didn’t do anything special, just upgraded to iOS 17.1 and gave it time to index. And another bonus, Notes search now works again too! 👍👏🙌

This helped me 😀

My apps not working correctly after iOS 1… - Apple Community

Try and Force Restart your iPhone EXACTLY as shown below and see whether that resolves the issue: Press and quickly release Volume UP button. Press and quickly release Volume DOWN button. Press and Hold the SIDE button until an Apple logo appears and then release the Side button (Can take up to 20 seconds.

17.1 fixed it for me. I reset the indexing on 17.0.3 about a week ago (didn’t fix it), then it auto-updated to 17.1 last night, and now my texts are indexing through all-time. Previously, I could only go back a couple months max

For all those saying iOS 17.1 didn’t fix the issue, give it some time. The indexing does not happen instantly. Mine is continuing to index after a full night with the update. So far it has added about 2-3 years of searchable content. At this rate it’s gonna take a few days for it to finish. I don’t actually know this, but I’d bet it’s likely it only indexes while charging so as to not drain your battery unexpectedly but that’s just a guess.

After about ten tries of toggling everything off as people suggested and turning off the phone and turning the phone back on and toggling everything back on and after it said indexing it finally worked for me but overnight. I did all of this during the day gave up and the next morning it didn’t say it was indexing anymore and it finally worked. This was super frustrating to have to go through all of that for a feature I already had . Please make sure you are running 17.1 or it won’t work.

I’m crippled too. But updating to iOS 17.1.1. fixed this for me.

Have you tried resetting your network settings?

Settings/General/Transfer or Reset iPhone/Reset/Reset Network Settings

You will lose all network settings, including Wi-Fi passwords, preferred networks, and VPN settings.

It’s worth a try. I can certainly understand your frustration. I read through all of your posts on the issues you’ve been having, with the cursor issue, all caps issue, can’t search, etc. I hate to say it, but it’s beginning to sound like you might need to try to do a restore from a previous backup to see if that clears up the issues. Do you use iTunes to backup or iCloud?

The search function issue was restored in Apple’s  iOS 17.1.1! I’m so glad they fixed it.

as far as I can tell, the search technically works but only with messages sent or received on iOS 17 are indexed. This is the case for my launch day iPhone 15 Pro and my 2 year old iPad Pro now running iPadOS 17. This also applies to all the links and photos when you drill down to the contact in the individual chat. Very broken.

Settings, messages, Siri & search

Yes, I am able to see 2016 and prior. Before responding to your message, I tried out a search word and it did throw up a 2015 thread. Hope this helps. I think patience to let the indexing to complete is key. I had complained to apple support yesterday after 17.1 update and they did say for sure the issue is fixed and I have to give it 24-48 hours. Size of the text messages on phone for me in excess of 2 GB. That may also be a factor, my guess, in the time it takes for the indexing completion.