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How to Delete Messages on iPhone Permanently and Safety in 2023

By Vernon Roderick, Last updated: January 29, 2023

Why do we need to delete messages on iPhone Permanently? Especially when we want to buy a new iPhone such as the latest iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro! We need to erase the messages on the old iPhone to prevent others view our personal data.

These days, our mobile or smart phone plays very important roles when it comes to keeping in touch with our love ones. Either if we want to talk and see them. Also, sometimes, important conversation and information get through with it even the confidential and private one. Text messages is widely used in personal, social and business transaction- sometimes even in grabbing a service car! It’s brilliant right?

When the storage is full of messages, you just delete it. When there’s a nasty or scam messages you delete it. When you just had a private conversation and no one is allowed to see it, you delete it. Or when a personal messages that contain very important information about you, your business, your account for others not to see it, you delete it. You might think you get rid of all your messages that you have received when you deleted it like this.

Before We Delete Messages on iPhone:

Having spent several years coding programs for iOS devices, we have created a powerful and reliable tool that everyone is able to use.

Here is a tip for you: Download FoneDog iOS Toolkit to delete text messages on iPhone or other iOS devices permanently within a few clicks. In case you want to delete text messages from your iPhone manually, we have gathered some basic solutions below.

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Part 1: How to Delete A Single Text Message on the iPhonePart 2: Why You Need to Know How to Delete Messages on iPhone PermanentlyPart 3: How to Delete Messages Permanently in Your iDevicePart 4: Use FoneDog Toolkit to Delete Messages on iPhone PermanentlyVideo Guide: How to Delete Messages on iPhone Permanently

Part 1: How to Delete A Single Text Message on the iPhone

If you want to remove several individual messages from the theme while keeping your overall conversations unaffected, follow these steps:

  • Go to Message.
  • Open up the conversation you intended to delete.
  • Click and hold on the message you want to delete.
  • Click "More" in a pop-up window.
  • Click the circle next to the message to mark the message you want to delete.
  • Click the trash can icon in the lower left corner of the screen.
  • Click the Delete Message button in the pop-up menu.

Please note that this description is the default SMS application for the iPhone, and if you use a third-party application for the message, it may be different.

Delete A Single Text Message on the iPhone

If you think you have deleted all your messages permanently by following the steps given above, you’ re wrong. Just because it isn’t showing doesn’t mean you have deleted it permanently forever. Have you check the Usage of your iPhone and found the Saved Messages takes up to one or two Giga Bytes of your device’s space, even up to dozens of GBs.

You may want to know how to get rid of it, not only release the space, but you also worry that your mail may not be really deleted, or even do not know where these saved messages are stored.

When you remove some data or files from your iPhone, in fact, losing data or files will not be deleted. They are simply marked by the operating system as deleted and hidden so that you can not see them again. This is why the saved message occupies so much storage space on the iPhone.

Delete A Single Text Message on your iPhone

Part 2: Why You Need to Know How to Delete Messages on iPhone Permanently

Before Selling or Donating Your iDevice

If you are using a brand new iPhone, you may think that you don’t need to know how to delete messages permanently. But, do you own the same device for your entire life? No right? What if you sell it in the future? What if you lost it? What if you donate it or give it to your other relatives? There may be a lot of private messages stored in your device, so you might think again before saying you don’t need to know how.

Here are some things you need to consider before selling or donating your iDevice.

  1. Your device health. What are the existing issues of your device? Does it affect the performance? Is it a major issue? Remember that issues affect the value of your device. The more the issues are, the lesser the value will be. Also, include the scratches and cracks if there’s any so that the buyer will be aware. It is better to provide an actual photo when making an offer.
  2. Current price of device. You can’t sell your device basing on its release price. Note that the value of each phone decreases every season since there are new phones being released.
  3. Learn the specs. Of course, be honest with the phone specification. You should know the exact specs too. The value also depends on the specs.
  4. Additional Charges. How far can you go? What if the buyer is from other city? How are you going to deliver the item? Is there any additional fee?
  5. Is your phone clean? I mean, have you removed all your data? Private information needs to be secured before selling anything so better check it first.

Why You Need to Know How to Delete Messages Permanently

Consider in Buying Used iPhone

On the other hand, here are things to consider in buying used iPhone.

  1. Check the condition. Buying used device without checking its condition is very risky. You can’t but this or that just because has a good physical appearance. What matter most is the performance.
  2. Price check. Watch the price; you can’t buy a 3-year-old device with the same price as a 3-month-old device even if there are no issues.
  3. Policy return. Is there any warranty? What if there’s an issue after the day you bought the product? Can you return it and asked for a refund? It is not advisable to buy a product without any warranty. You will never know if there’s any hidden issue.
  4. RFS or reason for selling. If he or she just selling her device without any reason for a very low price it may be a kind of “too good to be true", or a scam especially if it offers the product for shipping only. Better yet, think again.
  5. Does it worth the price? In reality, there’s a lot of smartphone being released, either a better or cheaper model. If you are buying a used one, analyze carefully- does this phone deserve this amount? What if there’s a better offer for this amount?
  6. Is this unit or model is what you want? You can’t buy a phone just because it’s cheap. It must be your ideal and type. What will happen if you end up buying a mobile that is not your choice? You will basically look for other that matches you, at the end, you did more expenses that the usual.

Part 3: How to Delete Messages on iPhone Permanently

Solution 1: Reset All Setting

The most common way experts will suggest is to reset all setting, just like what Mac support saying. You need to do a hard reset or a factory reset, here’s what you need to do. Just go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content & Settings. You will also need to delete backups that you have created as well in iTunes or iCloud.

Not satisfied? Here’s more to try.

Solution 2: Sync Regularly

Synchronize with iTunes or iCloud what actually erases the items you marked as deleted. So, regular sync. If you delete a text and then sync your iPhone, the message will really go away.

Solution 3: Remove Messages App from Spotlight Search

Remove the message application from the Spotlight search: If Spotlight does not find the message in the search, the deleted message will not appear in the Spotlight search.

You can set what apps Spotlight only searches for. To do this:

  • Go to Settings > General > Spotlight Search
  • Find Messages and move the slider to off/white.

Now, when you run a Spotlight search on your phone, text messages won't be included in the results.

Remove Messages App from Spotlight Search to Delete Messages Permanently

Part 4: Use FoneDog Toolkit to Delete Messages on iPhone Permanently

Step 1: Download and Launch FoneDog

Download and launch FoneDog on your computer then click “More Tool

Step 2: Choose iOS Private Data Eraser

Choose "iOS Private Data Eraser" and then click "Start Scan" to begin scanning your device automatically the scan status will be displayed while processing. This process may take a few minutes.

Step 3: Select File to Erase

When scanning is completed, all your private data will be displayed. Yes, everything not just the messages itself. Including your photos, videos, contacts, call history, notes et cetera- as in everything. All you need to do is click the “Messages” on the left panel and click “Erase from Device” to start the process.

Step 4: Confirm confirmation

Confirm it. The software will ask for your confirmation to delete the data. Not that once you confirm the authentication, you can no longer retrieve your data again.

Step 5: Successfully Completed

Wait until the process is successfully completed. The software will notify you once it is done. With the process being done, all of your data are also gone for good.

Congratulations! You just deleted all your messages permanently in your device. You don’t have any reason now to be terrified and worried. Either if you are selling your phone, you don’t have to worry about anything. Even the professional hacker will never retrieve your data again.

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People Also ReadHow to Permanently Delete Photos on iPhoneHow to Delete All Data Permanently on iPhone/iPad

Video Guide: How to Delete Messages on iPhone Permanently

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Vernon Roderick

Technical Expertise for PC/Website Optimization

One of my passion is to develop software of my own

I write articles to share knowledge about IT technology and some experience in developing my own software, and developing my own software is one of my passions for work.

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