How to Permanently Delete Messages on iPhone 15/14/13

How to Permanently Delete Messages on iPhone 15/14/13? In this article, we provide 5 easy ways to help you learn how to delete text messages forever on iPhone. Reading and finding more!

Clara by Clara Updated November 2, 2023
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I'm using an iPhone 14, and I want to learn how to permanently delete messages on iPhone. I don't want them to be recoverable or take up space on my device. Anyone knows how to do that? Any tips or tricks would be greatly appreciated!

- Question from Apple Community

Why Do You Need to Delete Text Messages on iPhone Forever?

As you frequently use iPhone to communicate, it's easy to find there are overabundance of text messages in your inboxes. Whether you're trying to save space or delete sensitive material, deleting text messages is a great way to do it. So, can text messages be deleted permanently?

how to permanently delete messages on iphone

Of course, if your iPhone is retaining any sensitive or otherwise unwanted texts, then you can easily make them disappear forever. Whether you want to delete specific texts or all messages, in this article, you can learn how to delete iMessages forever on iPhone 15/14/13.

Part 1. Delete Individual Text Messages on iPhone Quickly

There is one quick way to remove your Messages on your iPhone. Just need you open the Messages app, and follow the guide to learn how to permanently delete text messages on iPhone 15/14 /13.

Step 1. Open the Messages app > Select the specific conversation and choose the messages that you want to delete.

Step 2. When the conversation is open, press and hold the text message you want to erase > You will see a menu appears, and select More option.

Step 3. Mark the circle near each message you wish to delete.

Step 4. Then tap the trash can icon, at the bottom left or right corner of the screen > Select Delete Messages option to confirm the deletion.

how to permanently delete messages on iphone

Part 2. Remove Messages on iPhone Permanently by FoneTool

If you want to make it easier to delete a lot of unnecessary text messages, and don't want them to be recoverable or take up space on your iPhone. You can consider using a third-party app to permanently delete them. 

FoneTool is one such app that completely deletes photos, messages, videos, and even third-party app data from your iPhone. With it, there will be no trace left. 

laugh FoneTool also have more features:

  • With a user-friendly interface, you can delete iMessages in a few simple steps.
  • Achieve a deep erase, it can prevent information from being recovered and stolen.
  • It supports iOS 17/16/15 and all the latest iOS devices.

Download and install FoneTool, let’s see how to erase iPhone messages completely via FoneTool.

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Step 1. Open FoneTool and Plug in your iPhone with a USB cable.

Step 2. Choose Toolbox > Go to the Data Eraser.

how to permanently delete messages on iphone

Step 3. Choose Erase private data on the screen. If you want to erase all your iPhone data, you can choose the Erase all data icon > Click Get Started.

how to permanently delete messages on iphone

Step 4. Select Messages > Mark the Enable Deep Erase Technology if you need > Tap Start Erase.

how to permanently delete messages on iphone

★ Tips:
Before you delete your Messages, in case to lose important files, you can also go to Phone Backup to backup iPhone.

Part 3. Permanently Delete Text Messages in iCloud Backup

If you have enabled iCloud backup on your iPhone, then you can delete the backed up messages directly from your iCloud. Follow these simple steps to know how to permanently delete text messages on iPhone.

Step 1. Navigate to the Settings app > Tap on your name to go to the iCloud settings.

Step 2. In the iCloud section, click Manage Storage.

Step 3. Find and tap the specific category labeled Messages.

Step 4. After that, you can see an option called Disable & Delete > Tap on it.

Now, both your text messages stored in your iCloud will be deleted permanently.

how to permanently delete messages on iphone

Part 4. Clear the Text Message History Automatically

Besides the above 3 methods, Your iPhone can automatically delete old messages. By utilizing a Settings feature to retain messages for a specific time frame. Let's check the steps below.

Step 1. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone 15/14/13 > Scroll down and click Messages.

Step 2. Find the MESSAGE HISTORY section > And then, tap Keep Messages.

Step 3. There will be three choices: 30 Days, 1 Year and Forever > Select the desired option based on your needs.

how to permanently delete messages on iphone

mail Note: If messages are deleted within the specified time period, any attachments in those messages will also be deleted.

Part 5. Erase All Content and Settings

Reset your iPhone to its original state, you can achieve storage space release by clearing all kinds of data, including messages. But it needs to be mentioned that you’d better backup your iPhone in advance. If you need to erase all your iPhone data, below is the guide.

Step 1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone > Scroll down to tap General.

Step 2. At the bottom of the page, click Reset. (In iOS 15 and later, choose Transfer or Reset iPhone > And then, tap Reset.)

Step 3. Tap Erase All Content and Settings and enter your passcode.

how to permanently delete messages on iphone

Step 4. Ensure the action and wait for your iPhone to restart.

Step 5. After you finish the above steps, the restart is complete, and you need to set up your iPhone as a new one.

FAQs on How to Delete Messages on iPhone 15/14/13

Below are some questions you may also want to know:

enlightened 1. Do deleted messages still appear in search results on my iPhone?

No, once messages are permanently deleted, they will no longer appear in search results on your iPhone. The search results will only include the messages that are still available on your device.

enlightened 2. Can I recover deleted messages after permanently deleting them?

No, once messages are permanently deleted from the "Recently Deleted" folder, they cannot be recovered. Make sure to double-check before deleting them permanently.

enlightened 3. What happens if I only delete messages without permanently deleting them?

Deleted messages are moved to the "Recently Deleted" folder, where they remain for 30 days. After that period, they are automatically deleted. To free up space sooner, you can permanently delete them manually.

Conclusion

This article shows you 5 effective ways to solve how to delete messages on iPhone permanently. If you don’t want to install any other apps, there are 4 ways you can pick. If you want to erase iPhone data easily and completely, FoneTool can help you a lot.

By the way, FoneTool also provides some powerful functions, such as transferring data between iPhone and iPhone, backing up data selectively or fully, and converting HEIC photos to JPG/PNG. Download it and Find more!  

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