How do I delete saved text messages that are taking up storage on my iphone?

He doesn't have any messages saved so i do think he knows how to delete them.
I actually have the same problem and it's driving me crazy.
2,3 GB stored messages and i have 0 texts in messages app.

Have even reset and restored from iTunes backup but it's the same

Would love a answer for this!

angoli wrote:

When I go to settings>General>usuage> I see that I have 3.2GB of messages stored. Can someone tell me how to delete those messages? I don't even know where all of these messages could be stored. I don't think I am storing them in icloud.

I always delete my messages because I don't like having so many message things open, so those messages are not directly on my phone.
As you can see it's taking up way too much of my storage.
I have no need to save any text messages. If anything were that important to me I could take a screen shot of it and email it to myself or something.

Please someone help me because I have searched everywhere and asked everyone I can think of and no one has any idea how to help me..

Thanks in advance.

Firstly you DO NOT have to do a factory reset / wipe device, it is simply not required to get the space back!!

Mine had 3GB and I just got rid of it all, here is how:

METHOD ONE:

1. Make a backup in iTunes
2. open iBackupBot (Google it)
3. Go to the relevant backup
4. Click on Multimedia File Manager and click on the other Multimedia files tab
5. Sort by filename by clicking the Filename tab
6. Find MediaDomain/Library/SMS/Attachments and highlight all of them, then press delete. You can also click to export to a folder of your choice, if you want to save them that is.
7. Then go to System Files>MediaDomain>Library>SMS>Attachments
8. They will be all listed here, highlight them all and press delete
9. Then just restore that backup using iTunes!

Tadaa! Space recovered, your messages are still there but without the attachments! METHOD TWO:

1. Backup your device in iTunes and then to iCloud
2. Go to Settings>iCloud and toggle Documents & Data to OFF
3. Then do a 2nd backup to iTunes and iCloud
4. Then restore the device from iCloud and the message attachments should be gone, turn Documents & Data back on again in the settings

PLEASE NOTE: Method two is a much longer process but some users may feel more comfortable with this method.

P.S You may want to make two backups in case you get any of the above steps wrong, but it is simple to follow the above and not do anything wrong!

P.P.S You could also just go through every single conversation and delete the attachments one by one, but if you have hundreds or thousands of attachments, this will take a VERY LONG TIME!!!

Lucerova is a legend

How to fix it:

1. 1. Select Settings > General > Spotlight Search
2. 2. Un-Check Messages in the Spotlight Search
3. 3. Delete all text messages that show in the Messages app
4. 4. Open the multi-tasking bar by double tapping on the Home button
5. 5. Close ALL running applications
6. 6. Restart your phone

*You may have to repeat this process multiple times depending on how much storage yourMessages app is currently using. In Settings > General > Usage, You may only see the mb or gb drop by a few hundred mb each time (don't panic). You need to continue repeating this process until the Messages app is only utilizing 20mb or less. --If you get stuck and you still have a significant amount of data used by Messages and noMessages to delete, Simply backup and restore your device at this point to empty the remaining caches and allow you to permanently remove the remaining data.

**Also be sure to re-enable Messages in your Spotlight Search. Select Settings > General > Spotlight Search

Preventative Tip:

Always ensure to clean out your Messages often, as well as restarting your device often. iOS has self maintaining functions that only run on startup. As long as you don't allow your message threads to over-populate after extended time periods, you will not need to repeat these steps.

Enjoy

I repeated this three times and it emptied my text cache which freed up 3 gig of space.

(with each time of doing the process it emptied a large part of the stored text data)

This is by far the quickest and easiest way to free the space I personally found I tried Nick's way (ibackupbot) but ran into the problem as most will that my phone is so full due to having loads of photos and videos that I want to keep that it wouldn't let me restore as it kept saying I haven't got enough space on my phone.

The above technique worked for me on the third go it did delete all my current texts but its worth it for 3 gig of space

P.S still think apple should sort this out as my emails is also doing the same thing and i cant delete them

Thank you so much!! This was super easy and fast! I was running around in circles and this solution was so simple. Was able to gain back valuable storage, back up my phone, and update it. Thanks again!

you can delete whole threads by swiping to the left and delete will appear. You can delete individula messages within a thread by holding finger on the message and tap on more and then tick the messages you want gone and tap rubbish bin

I have the same problem too (622 Mo / only 2 messages, no photo)... I tried to reset my phone, to turn it off/on... Nothing worked. The problem happened with/after iOS 7 update.

Do you think using something like PhoneClean app would fix it ?

Would highly appreciate a solution !

I did the first method, tho I can't restore my phone since it says I don't have enough storage. I checked my storage on the phone and the 1,6 GB that messages took up in my storage are still there, but when check iBackupBot the files doesn't show. Help?

Yes, it is a mac computer. You have to open up the iMessage app on your computer. Then, on the side it should have a list of people you have messaged. You have to manually delete all of them. Finally, hook up your phone and sync it. Hope this helps.

READ THIS! THIS IS ALL YOU HAVE TO DO -

1. Delete whatever messages you don't want from the messages app

2. Close all backgrounded apps

3. *MOST IMPORTANT STEP* Set your iPhone down for 5 minutes or so and LEAVE IT ALONE while it does it's thing and deletes all of the thousands of messages that you suddenly told it to delete.

4. Check your usage (settings - general - usage) and it should be lower or 0 depending on how many conversations you chose to delete.

That's it. Don't do any of this crazy backing up and downloading programs. The reason people are having issues is because they delete thousands of messages (multiple conversations) at once and expect their iPhones to instantaneously delete all of the files and continue functioning like normal immediately. It's not gonna happen, it takes time for the phone to delete all of the messages. Give it time. Simply delete....and wait.

Good luck, hope this helps someone.

All the messages that you think you deleted still stay in your phone, just hidden after you press delete, also for contact, and photo. Only 1 way : Restore/ or Delete all content and seting, then you the phone like new, dont use back up from itune or icloud.

I also attack the photo what you can see from the backup file in iTunes: That's everything you delete ... still there with Trash Icon

* This is the backup from the iphone 5 , April of 2014..... Some of messages that i delete few months ago still there, Setup time wrong so it show 2005.

This way is super easy, you don't have to back up your phone, plug it in or anything. Just go to settings-->messages-->message history--> keep messages, and then select 30 days, and it'll delete all messages and message attatchments on your phone that are older than 30 days. I opened up 4 gigs of data this way, i HIGHLY recommend! And then you can change it to delete year old messages or never delete messages again, but you will still save so much storage

Yes mate 100% the above way works

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5345138?start=75&tstart=0

Click on the link takes you to another apple discussion I've posted on that one as well as it's took me ages to sort it out so I have posted it on all apple threads on this topic to help out.

It won't let me put a screen shot on this forum but I have freed 2.1 gig of space using the above technique and have no trapped data in saved text messages.

Mate just click the above link let me know if you still can't sort it

Cheers kurt

I have this same problem. I contacted Apple Support. They told me to either,

A) delete messages one at a time

or

B) restore to factory settings

I've copied and pasted our conversation below if you'd like to read their suggestions.

-------------

Chat Transcript

Thursday, February 20, 2014 12:24 PM
Duration: 38 minutes 19 seconds

Douglas:
Thanks for contacting AppleCare chat support. My name is Douglas. How can I help you?

Douglas:
Hi Greg! How are you today?

GREG:
Hello, I need help with my iphone 5 ios7

GREG:
i've been searching the support communities and ahve not founda resolution

GREG:
I am trying to remove the "Messages (SAVED)"

GREG:
under general settings

GREG:
many threads in forums, lots of frustrated peeps, no solutions

GREG:
can you help me remove 4.0 GB of messages?

Douglas:
I'm sorry to hear that you are having issues with your iPhone and saved messages today today. I know how important it is to have a working iPhone and all of it's features. I will do my best to assist you today!

Douglas:
But before we get started, your case number today is, xxx536, if you need to reference this case in the future or need any other assistance, we offer a lot of resources via our support website at http://support.apple.com.

GREG:
I've been there, thanks. couldn't find help. that's why I'm typing at you now. 🙂

Douglas:
Understood, I will do my best to assist you today!

Douglas:
Greg, in order to help guide us in troubleshooting today I’m need to ask a series of questions. If at anytime you are not satisfied with any troubleshooting steps or a resolution, please do not end the chat. Let me know right away so I can look into other options for you. How does that sound?

GREG:
🙂

GREG:
hit me

Douglas:
Can you help me understand exactly what “Saved” messages you are referring to? Are they preset messages or messages that have actually happened but do not seem to be leaving the phone when deleted.

GREG:
present messages

GREG:
under Settings/General/Usage/Messages 4.0GB

Douglas:
Ok, thank you for that information! Bear with me a few moments while I look into this for you.

GREG:OK

Douglas:
Thank you very much for your patience Greg while I looked into this for you.

Douglas:
Do you have a lot of saved text/sms messages on your phone?

GREG:
I do. I do not want to go thru and delete them one at a time, that would take forever.

GREG:
is there a way to simply delete ALL attachments in my text messages?

Douglas:
Let me check on that for you. Be just a few moments.

Douglas:
Just a few more moments. I will be right with you.

GREG:
k

Douglas:
Thank you for your patience. I will be with you shortly.

Douglas:
Thank you very much for your patience Greg.

Douglas:
From what I can see on my research it does appear as though you will need to go through each text individually to remove them from your phone.

Douglas:
The only other way to do it would be to restore your phone to factory and set it up as new.

GREG:
really? either take hours deleting each text message individually, or restore as factory and lose all my data?

GREG:
that seems like two impossible options

GREG:
Aren't everybody elses' iphones filling up too?

Douglas:
The best way to do it actually would probably be to backup your phone to iTunes and restore to factory. This way you will actually still have all the text messages but your phone will be clean and allow you to have full capacity again.

GREG:
what data would I lose if I restore to factory?

GREG:
also, I just did an icloud backup this morning

GREG:
so what are the steps I would take to do this?

Douglas:
You would remove all of your pictures, texts, videos, etc.

Douglas:
For the most part your phone would be as it came out of the box when you bought it.

Douglas:
Since you use iCloud we would turn that on so that all of your contacts came back to it.

Douglas:
iOS: How to back up your data and set up your device as a new device

Douglas:
iTunes: About iOS backups

Douglas:
iOS: How to back up and restore your content

Douglas:
These are some great articles to help guide us through the process.

Douglas:
And to answer your question about other people I’m sure they too are seeing some storage loss due to text messages however, I know a lot of people that delete their text messages regularly.

Douglas:
I however, and not one of them. I am up to 3.2GB

GREG:
Wow, seems like drastic steps to take to resolve an 'oversight' on apple's part. Can you email me a copy of this conversation so that I can read it, have links saved, etc. ?

GREG:
FYI, many folks on the forums are deleting their texts and STILL have GB's of space taken up as Messages (SAVED).

Douglas:
I sure can send you a chat transcript. I will also be emailing you these articles so you can have them that was as well.

Douglas:
That is very well possible. The forums are a great source of knowledge but what happens in most cases they don’t contact us to let us know there is a problem or concern. I do appreciate you taking the time out of your day to inform us of you issue.

GREG:
Do me a favor, if you come across an apple update that confronts this issue, let me know.

GREG:
Believe me, YOURSELF will have this issue soon too, I assure you.

Douglas:
I believe you. You know what you could do to help us?

Douglas:
You can submit product feedback about this at [apple.com/feedback apple.com/feedback] . We have a team here at Apple, who's entire job is dedicated to reviewing this feedback, and escalating it to the proper outlets (such as the engineers for iTunes, iPhone, iPad, etc.), so you can rest assured that your voice will be heard! The more feedback we receive about product features, the more likely we are to implement them! I'd be more than happy to walk you through submitting feedback today if needed!

Douglas:
That link should just be apple.com/feedback Not sure why it entered twice in the chat.

GREG:
is it considered iPhone feedback, or iOS7 feedback?

Douglas:
I would consider it that yes.

GREG:
OK, I'll click around and submit. Thanks again. Please email a copy of this.

Douglas:
No problem, the transcript will mail to you once the chat ends. I will also be sending you a case number as well for you records.

Douglas:
Is there anything else I can help with today?

GREG:
nope. thx

Douglas:
Great!

Douglas:
It's really important to me that you're happy with your experience today. Before I let you go, I want to make absolutely certain that you're satisfied with me and the support I've provided today. If you're not for any reason, or have any outstanding questions, please let me know.

GREG:
you were fine, thanks. this is a design FLAW that could be easily addressed in an iOS update. I've already started filling out the feedback form you suggested. thx again

Douglas:
Awesome!

Douglas:
Greg, I would like to thank you for contacting AppleCare Support! I will be emailing you your case number and if you have any additional questions, don't hesitate to chat us again and the next advisor will be happy to pick up right where we left off!

Douglas:
Again my name is Douglas, if you are satisfied with the service I have provided, please use the “End Chat” button in the bottom of this window if “end chat” is not available let me know and I'll be happy to end the chat for you. Hopefully you enjoyed my service. Thank you for contacting Apple, have a great day!

THANK YOU!!! It worked beautifully, and thank you for making the instructions so easy to follow!

I tried this and I didn't get a change. When I tried to run it again, the files I deleted are still gone. Not sure what to do at this point.