How to completely delete SMS messages from iPhone memory?

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COQUIPR1962 Author

Level 1

4 points

How to completely delete SMS messages from iPhone memory?

I have an iPhone 5S running iOS 7.1. I have completely delete the SMS messages from the Messages view. When I go to Messages, I cannot see any messages. So, I do not need help on how to remove/delete the messages from the UI view. However, when I connect my phone to iTunes, I can see the "Other" taking over 2GB of memory. I strongly believe these are my old messages that are still stuck in the ROOT memory of the phone. I have researched on the web for days, the only solutions they sugggest are to use third-party software, like "iPhone Data Eraser", "iExplorer", "iFunBox", etc. None of them seem to really be able to access to ROOT anymore. Perhaps Apple found these apps were able to erase SMS Messages and preventing them to take even more space on your phone and in the iCloud, so they could constantly send you an email that your phone cannot be backed up in the cloud because you are running out of memory. Well, when the SMS are taking over 2Gb of sapce, it is hard to keep all other items below 3Gb to stay within the cloud 5Gb. So, personally I believe this is an Apple scheme to sell more iCloud space, but that is beyond the point for this posting. I have also synced the phone with iTunes, as recommended by many posts stating that will clear the cache, nope, did not do a thing. The 2Gb are still alive. And I have done a sync several times.

Bottom line, is there a real solution to completely remove the SMS space from the phone memory WITHOUT performing any type of reset?

iPhone 5s, SMS Messages Removal form Memory

Posted on Mar 12, 2014 7:55 AM

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Answer 1

Mar 12, 2014 9:56 AM in response to COQUIPR1962

I had to delete the messages, back up the data, restore to default, and then sync. This deleted half of them but I'm still having issues getting the rest to delete. This is so rediculously frustrating...... for a concept that seems so simple.

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Answer 2

COQUIPR1962 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 12, 2014 10:21 AM in response to Wduncan1983

I am starting to believe that this is an Apple "gotcha" by design. I have spent two days reading dozens of postings like mine, in the Apple forum, and at least the same number of web hits with iPhone users looking for solution to the same issue. This is like Apple have found a blackhole to keep users not able to reduce the memory space used inside the device and also FORCING it to backup to the iCloud. And of course, it doesn't take much for you to fill up your memory of messages to around 5Gb of space, specially if you send and receive many of them with pictures. And guess what happens when you hit the iCloud 5Gb thredshold? Exactly! Apple starts sending you emails stating "Your iCloud is almost full and you cannot backup anymore, please select a new backup plan"... CASHING!!!

How come completely removing messages, something that should be as simple as deleting a file from Windows, then going to the recycle bin and COMPLETELY get rid of the HD usage. Noooooooo, that is not that easy with an Apple device. And don't even try third-party solutions, they will fail as soon as a new Apple iOS is released. Apple keeps finding the way to hide this little blackhole, so we the users cannot touch it.

And wireless carriers wonder why so many iPhone owners would like to jailbrake their devices to be able to use the SSH options. I know why....

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Answer 3

Mar 12, 2014 12:12 PM in response to COQUIPR1962

Not sure if this will help you, but I deleted all of my messages and then updated to 7.1 and it finally had an empty box. I reset the phone after the update and they were still gone. I'm hoping they don't show up again when I sync.

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Answer 4

COQUIPR1962 Author

Level 1

4 points

Mar 12, 2014 12:43 PM in response to Wduncan1983

The challenge that I have for any reset is that I use my phone mostly for business and I have several company profiles that during resets I lose them. I would have to work with our IT department to get my profiles reconfigure again during every reset of the device, just to clean up old messages that would not just go away from the phone memory. Apple really messed this up big time, or it is doing it on purpose. As far as I know, they know about this issue for years and still have not develop a better solution to manage the device memory. It is ridiculuos that we the users have to perform a reset all content every time to clear out bad memory usage. Imagine having to reinstall your Windows OS to clean up the Trash Can after deleting old files that you do not want anymore and cannot clear the hard drive space while the files are still in the Trash Can. How long will it be before Windows OS goes out of .... well, you know.

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