iOS 6 deleted my text messages and iMessages

My friend has reported the same problem. All the messages appears with the header but on opening some of the messages, shows blank but some others are appearing properly

I suspect if it restores the messages.

Actually, technically iOS 6 *does* restore messages database initially (/Library/SMS/sms.db file within iPhone filesystem) after phone upgrade or backup restoration.

But after that, some users experience issue where the post-processing after phone reboot fails when converting the restored database to new iOS 6 format. That *is* what fails.

Because of this some users lose all of their messages (empty iOS 6 messages database) and some just get corrupted/partial Messages app database. Same underlying reason in both cases.

I've been working really really hard past weekend to manually hack a custom conversion (I'm a dev) for iOS 5 to iOS 6 sms.db and force that through upgrade/restoration process in order to get my message history to iOS6 iPhone. So far Apple iOS protections and backup checksumming prevents me from restoring modified backups and I am personally not comfortable with "j a i l breaking" my devices to bypass those restrictions.

Most likely we all have to wait for apple to fix this issue in next iOS 6 point release. Those with remaining iOS 5 backups, hold on to those! You probably will be in luck since you probably can restore messages after bugfix - but those only with corrupted/lost database on iOS 6 and iOS 6 made backups.. you most likely wont be so lucky.

I am having the same problem...

I took the backup with iTunes and iCloud and then updated to ios6 with iTunes.

My sms wasn't inside...none...

I downgratedto ios 5.1.1 and still there wasn't inside... I used the tip and the programme that the icon said and i pull out my sms database from itunes back up and put it inside my iphone 4...But I could't use the programe to do the same with ios6...and now I cannot take a backup with icloud, only with iTunes, but maybe this is another problem.

If somebody can figure out more than I did please tell us...

I have exactly the same problem with umangpate. I can't find an easy and reliable solution. It's surely an IOS6 bug. Have you found any solution without having to be a PC expert?

Same here all SMS with an actual numbers are still here but from organisations and adds without a number you can see them in the message list but when you click on one of them there is nothing in there. Apple please fix this huge bug asap

The same problem here, but not only for the "company" messages.

same thing happened to me only with messages from "companies", like messages from my carrier and other promotional messages from companies.

I have a very similar issue after upgrading to iOS6.

I can see a preview (2 lines) of all the messages that existed before the upgrade, in Messages app. However, as soon as I open it, the contents disappear. When I go back to message list the message that I tried to open moves all the way down and preview also disappears.

I am able to see the preview only after manually closing the Messages app from springboard and then reopening the app.

Weird issue. The messages that disappear are the one's adverts and info messages mostly from banks, fund houses, credit cards etc. Some of them are really important. Hope Apple takes notice.

Exactly same issue with me and others here. Its IOS6 bug. It should be fixed soon by Apple. Some messages (eg from credit cards) are important.

well, even if apple do fix it, the messages are already gone and that's really the worst bug i have seen since it is not a software malfunction, it DELETED data!

Same problem here: complete text message history is G-O-N-E after upgrade to iOS6 on 4s 😟

Tried to do what gdgmacguy advised under iOS6.0 but restore of my 5.1.1 data will not bring back sms history.

Tried to downgrade to 5.1.1, but iTunes won't let me (3194 error).

Spoofing via tiny_umbrella to much hassle and NOT supported by Apple.

Gave up and now on my way to Apple Store to exchange my iOS6 4s under warranty with a refurbished one which -according to Apple techsupport- will probably still have 5.1.1 installed on it...

We'll see, if restoring my 5.1.1 sms data to the rufurbished 4s works I'll let you know. 🙂

got my 4s exchanged for a similar one at the Apple Store. Good service.

Indeed this one still had firmware 5.1.1 installed.

After restore of my latest backup all textmessages (sms) are back in refurbished 4s.

I'm a happy trooper and will NOT upgrade to iOS6+ until this bug is squashed by Apple. 🙂

I have found, if you do a reset the messages come back (but only the preview.) So important content may still be there somewhere and might be retrievable if Apple fix the bug.

As posted my response here, https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4323418?answerId=19792359022#19792359022

I dont know how come apple had not sensed it earlier.

This message issues is blowing my head after updgrade. Actually i need to blam my Indian trai and service providers, for iphone . If i receive a bank message it would be LM-HDFC or AM-ICICI but i my iphone reads it as LMHDFC or AMICICI.

Once ios6 is upgraded on my iphone4. I have enabled imessages and facetime immediatley. So when iphone messages are read, possibly it shows blank page because imessage reads the message as a contact name rather no number is available on those transaction / promotional messages sent in India. So it had corrupted all the messages in my iphone4 ( i hope ).

As everyone said, its booooom. I would have read these topic before upgrade, unfortunatelly missed my 3000 messages. Have to wait for ios6.1 update for apple to fix it, if they notice. Or all messages are gone.