Text messages don't actually get deleted

Tell me about it. I've wiped all my messages before and learnt a lesson, only 3 options to get back:

• Restore to recover from iTunes
• Restore to recover from iCloud
• Recover without backup

Moral - always backup ✅

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I think if that was a problem before 4.1 has fixed it.

DCGOO wrote:
Just depends on what you are trying cover up, and from whom.

HOW TO COMPLETELY DELETE A TEXT MESSAGE

1 – Always sync your phone with iTunes.

Sync regularly and sync often. Syncing your phone with iTunes is what actually erases the messages that you’ve marked for deletion. Once the sync is complete, the messages will be deleted for good.

2 – Remove Spotlight Message Search

Spotlight cant look for items when you specify it to stay away from. You can control what apps Spotlight can or can not look into. To change your settings go to:

Settings

General

Spotlight Search

Scroll to the bottom and uncheck “Messages”

While you are at it, you can uncheck any other application that you don’t want Spotlight to sniff into.

3 – Erase All Content & Settings

This is the most radical step that you can take. It goes without saying that this option, like the name suggests, will erase everything from your phone. Just make sure all your important information is already backed up. This will delete your music, email, apps, pictures and everything else. To do a complete content erase follow these steps:

Settings

General

Reset

Tap “Erase all content and settings”

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No idea what device/software was used but googled "phone stick" and it returned devices to do it, one site was called Eyetek i think.

What i need to do is clear all that history from phone, i know i can do back up and then reset phone, then sync it again, but that will put all messages back that i am trying to get rid of????

Idk either. It is very confusing. Just google and google till you find something that works.

Apple isn't a whole lot of help with alot of issues.

Unless maybe you make an appt at your local apple store?

The guys in there really seem to know what they are doing, and they can kind of do it for you. Beats trying to get help over the phone or email.

Those spy sticks or spy programs are very expensive. She really paid that kind of money to get your texts?

I saw enough on the spotlight search to really really want to see my bf's deleted text messages.

He keeps talking about getting married, but if he's already cheating on me.... see my issue?

I'm not going to spend a dime or another minute worrying about it.

I don't want to resort to this type of snooping either.

I shouldn't need to feel this way at all.

Why can't just be honest?

Hi Frootloup, back in UK soon so shall make appt with store when back, hope thay can clear all and advise on future use. Yes, i see your issue and it is upsetting, to read my text exchange looks REAL bad but nothing happened, thats all it was, immature texting ;-( I could do same i suppose and snoop, but"Dont look for what you dont want to find"?? Every bit of history usage was revealed on my phone ;-( feels like i have had my mind read, horrible feeling, but then i was at fault for being immature. Hope you get all sorted :-)) Hve done lots of googling but no luck so far, i wonder how many iphone owners are aware of this failure by Apple, ****** good mind to change phone out of spite!!!

Bilgo, I would love to learn it was just immature texting and nothing happend. Things I saw didn't look good. But I can't look further.

Hey we are all immature and do stupid things. I certainly wouldn't want my mind read.

The invasion of privacy has to feel awful.

We ALL deserve our privacy.

And I agree, don't look for what you don't want to find!! 🙂

Maybe apple will get this straight since there are so many complaints.

Till then people should really think twice about what they write in a text message if they have any reason to worry someone might eventually see them.

Good luck to you!!

Today (Friday) went to Apple store for help ;-( Techie in store was not even aware of this issue and unable to help, suggested complete factory reset on phone. I explained i only want to remove text/call history from memory and he had a blank look of not understanding. Basically down to me to sort it. Might get away from iphone and go to samsung!!!

I found a solution that works on my 4s 32 gb . 😎.

If it's really annoying as it is for me when I want to do a Spotlight search on my phone and all these annoying OLD Text msg. keep appearing .

Especially if it's someone that you are in a constant text messaging frenzy etc etc.. receive about 100 from that Friend .

What worked for me was : write down your contact on paper info etc.. etc.. then go to your address book on your Iphone and DELETE that contact . traces all seem to disappear. then go back and add them in manually and still no msgs appear .

P.S. By the way I don't like the idea of going into your settings an unchecking what you don't want to appear in Spotlight , this is not a viable solution for people trying to hide msgs , anyone knowing their way around an IPhone will simply reselect text msg. see all old msg etc... etc..

I hope this solution works for ALL facing this issue .

Cheers 😉

So, I just to confirm with people who clearly know more about this than I do:

If someone buys a new phone and a new SIM card but then syncs their phone up with iTunes which has old info on it, deleted messages from a previous phone/sim card no matter how old can potentially show up in the spotlight search? Is that right???

Or can the spotlight search only show messages that have been sent to the current exact phone and/or sim card???

Thankyou!!!!! :)