How do i stop my messages from opening automatically?

iOS apps you once run on your iphone, closed and used again will display the exact same screen you were last on when you access them once more. Same is valid for the Messages app. you can ether make sure to exit from the screen displaying the last message you accessed as described above, or end the messages app after using by using these instructions -

www.apple.com/support/iphone/assistant/application/#section_3

Well, that's not the way it works on my iPhone, or any other iPhone that I manage. If you close the recent message, then return to the messages list & close messages, the next time you open messages, it opens to the messages list.

Obviously if you get a new message it will open to that when you tap messages.

wjosten wrote:

Obviously if you get a new message it will open to that when you tap messages.

It was my assumption, perhaps erroneous, that that is what the OP was talking about. I should, perhaps, have said that it will open to the "new message" rather than unread. It might have been more clear to you.

"Obviously", if you have no new messages, it works the way you are describing.

The Messages app will always open to the most recent unread message. Returning to the messages list will not change that.

I guess you could always tap on messages top left to return to the message list screen before you close the phone down

No, that is the expected behavior of the app. There is no way to change it.

Not trying to be judgemental. I'm just curious. Why is it so horrible?