The fastest way to clear all your messages
You can delete all messages on your iPhone in two ways: clear individual conversations one at a time, or use the Edit button to select and delete multiple conversations at once. The second method is much faster if you have dozens of message threads. Both approaches work the same way whether you're using iMessage, SMS, or a mix of both.
The process takes about 30 seconds if you're deleting everything at once, or longer if you're being selective. Your deleted messages cannot be recovered unless you restore your iPhone from a backup made before the deletion, so make sure you actually want them gone before you start.
Key Takeaways
- Tap Edit in the top-left corner of the Messages app, then tap Select All to highlight every conversation at once.
- After selecting conversations, tap Delete in the bottom-right corner to remove them permanently.
- You can also delete individual conversations by swiping left on a message thread and tapping the trash icon.
- Deleted messages are gone for good unless you restore your iPhone from a backup made before you deleted them.
- Clearing messages does not free up much storage space on most iPhones, since text takes up almost no room compared to photos and videos.
Delete all conversations at once using Edit
Open the Messages app on your home screen. Look at the top-left corner of the screen — you should see the word "Edit" in blue text. Tap it once.
The screen will change. Each conversation now has a small circle to the left of the contact name. Tap "Select All" in the top-left corner. Every conversation will now have a checkmark inside its circle, meaning it is selected.
Look at the bottom-right corner of your screen. You will see a blue button that says "Delete". Tap it. A confirmation message will appear asking "Delete [number] Conversations?" Tap "Delete" again to confirm. All your messages are now gone.
Delete conversations one at a time by swiping
If you only want to remove certain conversations and keep others, you can delete them individually without using the Edit button. Open the Messages app and find the conversation you want to delete.
Press your finger on the conversation and swipe to the left. A red trash icon will appear on the right side of the conversation. Tap the trash icon once. That conversation is deleted immediately — no confirmation message appears.
Repeat this process for each conversation you want to remove. This method is slower than using Edit and Select All, but it lets you keep the conversations you want to save.
What happens to your storage space after deletion
Deleting all your messages will not noticeably free up storage space on your iPhone. A single text message takes up only a few kilobytes of space — you would need to delete millions of messages to see any real difference in your available storage.
Photos, videos, and apps use far more space than messages ever will. If you are running low on storage, deleting messages is not an effective solution. Instead, look for old photos and videos to remove, or delete apps you no longer use.
How to recover deleted messages from a backup
If you deleted messages by accident and want them back, your only option is to restore your iPhone from a backup made before the deletion. This means your entire phone will return to the state it was in when that backup was created — any photos, messages, or apps added after the backup will be lost.
To restore from a backup, go to Settings, tap General, then tap Transfer or Reset. Choose Erase All Content and Settings, then follow the on-screen steps. When your iPhone restarts, you will be asked whether you want to restore from a backup. Choose the backup from the date before you deleted your messages.
This process takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on how much data is on your phone. It is a drastic step, so only do this if the deleted messages are truly important and you have no other way to get them back.
Deleting messages in other iPhone apps
The Messages app is where your SMS and iMessage conversations live, but other apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram have their own message systems. Deleting messages in the main Messages app will not touch conversations in these other apps.
To delete messages in WhatsApp, open the app, find the conversation, swipe left on it, and tap Delete. For Facebook Messenger, press and hold the conversation, then tap Delete. Instagram Direct Messages work the same way — swipe left and tap Delete. Each app has slightly different steps, but they all follow the same basic pattern of finding the conversation and swiping or holding to reveal a delete option.
Why your deleted messages might still show up
Sometimes after you delete a conversation, it reappears in your Messages app. This usually happens because someone sent you a new message in that conversation. When a new message arrives, the conversation thread comes back automatically, even if you had deleted it.
This is normal behavior and not a sign that something went wrong. If you want to prevent certain people from messaging you, you can block their number instead. Go to the conversation, tap the contact name at the top, scroll down, and tap Block This Caller. Blocked contacts cannot send you messages, and their messages will not create a new conversation thread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete messages from just one person without deleting other conversations?
Yes. Open the conversation with that person, tap Edit in the top-right corner, then tap Select All to highlight every message in that thread. Tap Delete to remove them. The conversation itself stays in your Messages app, but it will be empty. If that person sends you another message, the conversation will reappear with just the new message.
Will deleting messages delete them from the other person's phone too?
No. When you delete a message from your iPhone, it only disappears from your phone. The other person still has the message on their device. Deleting messages is permanent only on your end.
Does deleting messages make my iPhone faster?
Not noticeably. Messages take up so little space that removing them will not speed up your phone. If your iPhone feels slow, the problem is usually too many apps running at once, low storage from photos and videos, or an older battery. Deleting messages is not the solution.
What's the difference between deleting a conversation and archiving it?
Deleting removes the conversation completely. Archiving hides it from your main message list but keeps it stored on your phone. You can swipe left on a conversation and tap Archive instead of Delete if you want to hide it without removing it permanently. Archived conversations reappear if that person sends you a new message.
Can I set up my iPhone to automatically delete old messages?
Yes. Go to Settings, tap Messages, then scroll down to Message History. You can choose to keep messages for 30 days or one year, and older messages will delete automatically. The default is to keep messages forever, so you have to change this setting manually if you want automatic deletion.