Text messages don't actually get deleted

This still doesn't work for me. After I sync they are all still there. Any suggestions?

I have just had my Iphone searched by GF using device/software bought online, it revealed EVERY call and text EVER made by me on phone, including date, time sender and FULL content of all messages, it feels like i have had my mind read. HOW do i delete all from memory to stop this. Spotlight search finds nothing, but 3rd party devices can find EVERYTHING *** Apple ;-(

What software did she use?

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!!

Iphone 5. Latest Firmware..

I have Exactly the same problem as the Original Poster. I dont even have to type in a full word! Just single letters of the alphabet (certain ones) will pull out previews of texts I deleted months ago! And an Itunes synch does Not get rid of them, as some people have suggested on other forums!

This is my first ever iPhone. Apart from this issue I love it. Would of expected Apple to have sorted this out by now! Not good.

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 😉

Tried this but sadly it did not help, still got all old messages ;-(

I just started a discussion on How to Delete Messages in Spotlight Search History without Resetting or Syncing!!

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4829250

So Go Ahead and Check it Out!! 🙂

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!!!!! :)

I can still see the previews to old deleted texts when I do a spotlight search but when I try to access them nothing comes up. How can I restore these texts so I can actually read them?? Please help.

This potentially frustrating behavior is the result of an intricacy of how the iPhone deletes data. When you "delete" some kinds of items from the iPhone, they don't actually get deleted. Instead, they're marked for deletion by the operating system and hidden so that they appear deleted. But they're still on the phone.

Only when you sync your iPhone with iTunes are they truly deleted.

If you want to truly and permanently delete SMS messages from your iPhone.

Sync Regularly - Since syncing with iTunes is what actually erases items you've marked for deletion, sync regularly. If you delete an SMS on your iPhone and then sync your iPhone, the message really will be gone for good.