My deleted contacts still show up when I want to send a text message

Go to send a text and then type in a letter and then click the little bubble on side and remove from recents x

You can delete all contacts with app "Contacts In : Import CSV & Manage Groups"

(https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/contacts-in-import-csv-manage/id549639443?mt=8&a ffId=1822652)

You can select all your contacts with one click and delete with another

click Action menu and choose "Delete contacts". Then confirm deletion.

Hi, not sure if anyone has said but this is how you do it...

Open a blank text, type the deleted contacts name, you will see an information symbol to the right of their name ('i' in a circle), click it. Then click 'remove from recents' which is in red. Et voila 🙂 (see below)

I have been having this same issue and just discovered with iOS8, when you go to create the new message (as long as the contact is indeed deleted from your contacts) there is an "i" enclosed in a circle. If you click on this, it opens up to an "info" screen and if you look down the list highlighted in red it will say "remove from recents" and the issue is resolved!

Please note the "remove from recent" option does NOT exist in Messages on Mac OS Yosemite. Indeed, the circled i does not even show up. The good news is, once you remove the 'recent' on your iPhone, it does propagate, and no longer shows in in Messages on your desktop.

Hope this helps,

Steve

Here is the fix.

Once you delete the contact from your contacts, then start a brand new text conversation. Their name/number will come up with a little "i" with a circle around for info on that number. Select that , and then select "remove from recents". That will permanently delete it.

Can you delete ALL the recent groups at one time? I evidently have several groups of contacts and it would take a lot of time to delete all groups, one by one.

Go to the contact you want to delete. Click the blue I in the circle for information then click remove from recents

This worked, thanks.

i think I figured a solution to this. When you start a text and see the old deleted contact Info pop up, tab on the i symbol on the right side, scroll down and select remove from recents.

Oh my god this has just blown my mind and fixes the issue entirely and straight away! Thank you!!!

Hi everybody. I thought the only way to solve it manually on Message for mac (without an iPhone) wolud be to locate where the actual cache file for Message is stored... so i just launched terminal command (I'm running El Capitan):

su (with root user already enabled, to no-limit autenticate)

cd / (to start from the main directory and search on the whole hard disk)

grep -lr "deleted telephone number or email address" *

to searching recursively for EVERY file in the mac with any file extension that contains that telephone number... it will take LONG time but once locate everything should be fine... right?

I hope so... let's see.... just giving it a couple of hours... or days 😀

What if the contact does not have a small i next to it. How do I permanently delete a contact that keeps appearing when I text message?

WWhat if there is no info button next to there name then what do I do?

Eventually, the cache will be overwritten and they will disappear.