Text messages disappeared

I had this issue too, and I contacted Apple Support. After a couple hours the conclusion that was reached was that it's simply a glitch/bug in the system that rarely happens. Their recommendation was to restore your iPhone to the latest backup, presumably the last backup before the problem happened - you should have all of your messages that way. The below information is assuming that you backed up to your computer and not iCloud - I haven't figured out iCloud just yet.

For me, it didn't work because we initially thought the problem was that I'm running an old iOS, so in the update process my last backup got replaced by a new one. If you think that's going to be a problem, you can go into iTunes, go to preferences, select device (where the list of backups are), right click the backup you have before the problem, and select archive - this will enable you to keep that back up file from being overwritten. In short, try restoring your iPhone to before the problem started happening and it should work. Best of luck!

I've been having having the exact same problem as everyone posted. I think it has to do with storage data. If your phone constantly has that message coming up that there is low storage or your phone can't take a pictures because there isn't enough, than your phone will delete text messages. And also will put recently text messages before older ones. At first I thought I was going crazy and losing my mind, since I knew I had sent certain messages, but once I noticed this only happened when I was low on storage I figured it must be the problem. It doesn't happen when there is ample storage data only when it is scarce. Hope this helps. Someone please tell me if it work so on their phone so everyone can know it works.

I just had the same thing happened to me for the first time since I ever own my first iPhone 3 I have never lost conversations like I have just lost! I have a lot of memories space so that is not the problem! It almost looks like somebody has access to my messages and can delete them! This is getting scary! What can I do!!!?

This is exactly how my phone looks now. It's so crazy. I noticed last night that I was getting text messages with no notification. So I sent a text message and it was taking a long time to send. I came out of my text messages turned my phone off for a few minutes and turned it back on and all of my messages were gone. It *****!!! If you find any solutions please let me know!!

Early this morning I sent “she said—......” the .... is a sentence about a guitar. It didn’t send the sentence. When the bubble blinked and moved up the screen to show closed and not editable, the ....(sentence) disappeared. I do not know if the other party got the sentence after she said or not. He is not replying; possibly not getting my messages. Exiting messengers didn’t work for retrieval. This has only happened to one other person which I sent a message(that I know of). I’m not a conspiracy theorist but I wonder are my messages being intercepted? If so someone has a very boring life.

A fix would be great. Thanks

I have had Iphone’s since the first on was out. For the past 6 months I have been having all kinds of problems with the text messaging, I have lost important conversations and all sorts of problems with texts only! I am not a happy camper with my Iphone lately! Please find a fix!!!!

My messages are gone no where to be find, 3-4 years of history! The problem is I have hundreds of messages and I don’t know wich one are gone until I look for a specific one. I got a over 100gig of free space plus 200 gigs i pay for ICloud! Still ****** that Apple dosent reply on here!!! About done with that Apple!

After 20+ Iphones and giving sessions on how to better use your IPhone I know how to search for a message!

There just gone! If the same personne sent you a message and the history is 1 month old and you’ve been messaging for 2 years, You don’t need to dona search. It is just not there!

So on 11/26/17 all my messages started disappearing as I was typing mid conversation. I’ve done the latest update and have plenty of storage. My messages are working fine since 11/26/17 but prior to that all messages are invisible and unaccesable. The only way to tell they are still there is by going to the search bar and seeing the old messages pop up but when you click on them they disappear. Went to the Apple store and did a ton of research online but came up with no solution....I use my phone for work and this has been a complete nightmare. Very surprised Apple hasn’t figured this out yet! Would really appreciate some help. ASAP!!!

I am extremely upset about this issue and want my text messages back. I have clients, family and my mother who passed this year. To make it worse I have the new X my 6s did have all recent updates before it was backed up again to my Mac Book Pro. I've had nothing but problems with music, voicemail's, photos and my custom ring tones now all greatly reduced or drastically changed or gone.

Really, really, really bad and distressing.

I have had this issue for the last year and a half. The issue has followed me through three iPhone 6 Pluses and now an iPhone 8 Plus. Started somewhere in IOS version 10 something. Symptoms are:

1. Open up messages and no messages show up, only blank spaces separated by lines where messages should be.

2. Severe freezing of message typing and message output. Typing delayed by 10-15 seconds, rapid catch up, then delayed again. When message attempts to send, the bar goes across 3/4 of the top of the message and then stops and freezes.

Solutions I have tried:

1. Turn phone on and off. Worked well initially but got worse with each new iOS update.

2. Hard restart of phone - same results.

3. Checking memory and reducing retention of messages from forever to 30 days (this one sucked because I gave up many old messages.

4. Killing and reopening message app. Didn't work until phone was shut off.

5. Killing all open apps. No effect

This is extremely frustrating. It's amazing to me that Apple hasn't updated the issue or even responded. I think it's a result of the clocking of older phones and the programming stuck with each new update like a ghost. Now Apple is getting sued. I might join.

Gonna lose a customer Apple if you don't get it together ASAP

This just happened to me last night. I've since updated and none of the texts are back. Plenty of storage and years of nonsensical loyalty to a company that can't so much as comment on this MONTHS OLD thread. Hey Apple- people care when they lose work messages, contacts, texts and photos from/of deceased loved ones, and memories we can't get back. Superior emojis and blue texts bubbles aren't enough to keep this customer around anymore.

The iPhone has had this disappearing SMS problem for more than 5 years but there is no good solution. I just don't understand why they are not trying to solve this when thousands of their customers for so many years are facing this problem. They should put priority on this. Is there anyway we can petition them to come up with a solution?

Unfortunately they don’t really care about a few clients until it goes viral! They don’t have time for us! They are busy on making new IOS’s to make your older phone obsolete so you need to buy new phones! $$$$

I just had the same issue. My solution was that I had a notification in the “settings” and then it was telling me to set up Apple Pay. I said remind me later and my Touch ID started working and all my text messages came back. So weird. Hope this helps someone.