Cannot search Messages in iOS 18.1 - will only show photos in the results, not text or threads

This fixed mine:

Go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Search

toggle the followings sliders (to off and then on again):

Show App in Search

Show Content in Search

Yes, it’s happening to me also. Extremely irritating. How about Apple adds a “force reindex”

Yes theres many issues with messages app. Just noticed one yesterday where I got a text someone and it showed up like a group message....it said their number PLUS MY NUMBER it was very weird. Like I didnt text myself. Then when I clicked the dropdown button it showed as a group message but next to the other number when I clicked the info button it only showed the option to block the number NOT the option remove from recents. It fixed itself though. But it was odd. Its a bug in ios 18.1

It seems to me these community discussions are useless. Inevitably someone puts out a problem, and then a bunch of other people say, “me too, I have the same problem”, but there is never solution. Doesn’t Apple provide any solutions? They must see that many of us are having this issue!

The solutions people have posted are not working for me and I also rely on this for work. Apple drives me freaking insane, they always make things worse just for the sake of changing things. How can anyone actually get their voice heard to bring back the never features they take away — this is absurd and detrimental for me. I keep all of my texts and am always needing to search and find things. Besides work messages I need this for, I specifically text myself long lists of things I need to remember and find in the future. Please fix this!!!

I have the same problem too

Me too! My work depends on text search. I’m losing g my mind. Any ideas how to fix this (only pics show up when searching texts)?

Thanks andysbiz. This worked for me after much searching on the net!

This worked!