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4 Solutions to Delete iMessages on iPhone and iPad

Feb 29, 2024 • Filed to: Data Wipe Solutions • Proven solutions

iMessages provide a fast means of communication. They can not only be used for sending text messages, but also images and voice notes.

But having a lot of iMessage conversations in the Messages app will occupy a lot of storage space, and prevent the iPhone from performing at its peak performance levels. Therefore, people seek to delete iMessages.

  • If you delete iMessage, it will free up memory space and speed up your device.
  • You might feel the need to delete iMessage that contain sensitive or embarrassing information. That way, important information can be prevented from falling in the hands of others.
  • Sometimes, iMessages might be sent accidentally and you might wish to delete them before they’re delivered.

For all these situations, you will find the solutions in this article very useful.

Part 1: How to delete a specific iMessage

Sometimes, you might want to delete iMessage or an attachment that comes along with it. This occurs more often than we can imagine and hence learning the method to delete a single iMessage is a good idea. To delete a specific iMessage that you no longer want, follow the simple steps given below.

Step 1: Open the Messages app

Open the Messages app on your iPhone by tapping on the icon available on your home screen or in the apps folder.

open message app

Step 2: Select the conversation to be deleted

Now scroll down and tap on the conversation which has the message to be deleted.

select the message to delete

Step 3: Select the iMessage to be deleted and click on the More option

Now navigate to the iMessage you wish to delete. Tap and hold on it until a popup opens. Now tap on “More” in the pop-up that appears.

tap on more

Step 4: Check the required bubble and delete

Now selection bubbles will appear near every iMessage. Select the bubble corresponding to the message to be deleted and tap on the trash-can icon in the bottom left or the Delete All button on the top left of the screen to delete it. iPhone won’t ask for a confirmation for deleting the text. Hence think twice before selecting the messages.

delete all

Part 2: How to delete an iMessage conversation

At times, there may be a need to delete an entire conversation instead of a single iMessage. Deleting an entire iMessage conversation will delete the message thread completely and no iMessage of the deleted conversation will be available. Hence it is imperative to know how to delete all iMessages. Here is the method to delete all iMessages.

Step 1: Open the Messages app

Open the Messages app on your iPhone by tapping on the icon available on your home screen or in the apps folder.

open message app

Step 2: Left swipe the conversation to be deleted and tap on Delete

Now scroll down to the message you want deleted and swipe left. This will reveal a red Delete button. Tap on it once to completely delete all the iMessages in that conversation.

swipe left to delete

Once again, iPhone will delete the conversation without asking for any confirmation from you. Hence discretion is required before deleting it. To delete more than one iMessage conversation, repeat the same process for every conversation to remove it from your iPhone. This is how to delete all iMessages on an iOS device.

Part 3: How to permanently delete iMessages from iPhone

iMessages are a fast and reliable method of conversation. But the purpose of the iMessages are over once what was to be conveyed has been conveyed to the receiver. There may not be a need for it to be kept on your device anymore. In such cases, deleting the iMessages and conversation will help in freeing up space in your iPhone. Hence, it is important to learn how to permanently delete iMessages.

To delete the messages permanently from your device, you can take the help of Dr.Fone - Data Eraser (iOS) . It’s an easy-to-use, one-stop solution for erasing all your private iOS data. So, here is how to permanently delete iMessages.  

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Dr.Fone - Data Eraser (iOS)

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Step 1: Launch Dr.Fone toolkit

Download the Dr.Fone toolkit software and install it on your computer. Launch the program on your system by double-clicking on it. Among all the features listed, tap on "Erase" toolkit to open it.

install drfone toolkit

Step 2: Connect your iPhone to the computer

Using an original USB cable, connect your iPhone to the PC. After the Dr.Fone program recognizes your device, it will display the following screen where you should choose "Erase Private Data".

connect your iphone

Allow the Dr.Fone program to scan all the private details stored on your smartphone by clicking on the “Start Scan” button in the Dr.Fone window.

Step 3: Select the Messages and attachments to be deleted

The scanning process will take some time. In the screen that appears after the scan, select “Messages” in the left pane of the Dr.Fone program. If you also wish to delete the attachments that come along with the messages, check the box corresponding to it.

You will now be able to see a preview of it all. Check the Messages and Attachments that you wish to delete. If you wish to delete all the messages, check all the checkboxes and click on the “Erase from the Device” button at the bottom right of the screen.

erase from the device

Step 4: Type “delete” to finish

In the prompt that appears, type “delete” and click on the “Erase now” button to confirm the process of deleting the iMessages.

erase now

The process will take a few minutes to complete. After it is done, the program will display an “Erase completed” message.

erase complete

Tip:

The Dr.Fone - Data Eraser (iOS) software specializes in erasing prive data or full data or iOS optimizing. If you forgot your Apple ID password and want to erase Apple ID, it's recommended to use Dr.Fone - Screen Unlock (iOS). It offer one-click solution to remove the Apple ID.

Part 4: How to delete an iMessage before delivered

Everyone would have once experienced the anxiety and the panic attack that shoots up almost immediately after an unintended iMessage is sent. All that a person going through such a situation can imagine is to stop it from being delivered. Cancelling a nasty or an embarrassing iMessage before it is delivered will not only save the sender from embarrassment but also give immense relief. May be you have experienced it and that is why you are looking for a method to save yourself in the future! The simple method to prevent an iMessage from being delivered is explained as given below. Just remember that you need to be quick as you will be racing against time while deleting an iMessage that is to be delivered.

Step 1: An iMessage can either be sent using the WiFi network or through the mobile carrier. It is first sent to the Apple servers and then to the receiver. If the iMessage reaches the Apple servers, it cannot be undone. So, within the short span of time between sending and uploading, quickly swipe the keyboard down and swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the Control Center. Quickly tap on the Aeroplane icon to enable Airplane mode and cut off all the signals.

turn on airplane mode

Step 2: Ignore the message that pops up instructing that airplane mode will prevent messages from sending. Now, a red exclamation mark will appear near the iMessage that you sent. Tap on the iMessage and select “More”. Now, select the trash-can icon or the Delete All option to prevent the message from being sent.

press the undelivered message

delete the message

These are the methods through which iMessages can be deleted from your iPhone or iPad. All the methods are very simple and will delete iMessages from your device. Except that the method described in part 3, is not only good for deleting iMessages but a lot more when it comes to managing your iPhone or iPad. It is up to you to decide which method to use based on your needs.

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James Davis

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