Delete individual texts one at a time or clear entire conversations
You can remove text messages from your iPhone in two ways: delete single messages within a conversation, or delete an entire conversation thread at once. The method you choose depends on whether you want to keep the conversation but remove specific messages, or remove the whole thread.
Both approaches take seconds and don't require any special settings or apps. The messages are removed from your device immediately, though they may remain on your carrier's servers for a period of time.
Key Takeaways
- Swipe left on a conversation in the Messages app to delete the entire thread, or tap Edit and select multiple conversations to remove them all at once.
- To delete individual messages within a conversation, open the thread, press and hold a message, then tap Delete.
- Deleted messages are removed from your iPhone immediately but may still exist on your carrier's backup systems.
- You can recover recently deleted conversations from the Recently Deleted folder in the Messages app if you act within 30 days.
Delete an entire conversation from your Messages list
Open the Messages app and find the conversation you want to remove. Swipe your finger from right to left across the conversation thread. A red Delete button appears on the right side. Tap it to remove the entire conversation and all its messages.
If you want to delete multiple conversations at once, tap Edit in the upper left corner of the Messages list. Circles appear next to each conversation. Tap the circles next to the conversations you want to remove, then tap Delete in the lower right corner. This removes all selected conversations in one action.
Delete individual messages within a conversation
Open the conversation that contains the message you want to remove. Press and hold your finger on the specific message until a menu appears with options. Tap Delete or the trash icon, depending on your iOS version. The single message disappears from the conversation thread.
If you need to delete multiple messages from the same conversation, you can repeat this process for each message. There is no bulk-delete option for individual messages within a thread, so you will need to delete them one at a time.
Recover deleted conversations within 30 days
If you delete a conversation by mistake, you can recover it within 30 days on newer iPhone models. Open the Messages app and scroll to the very top. Tap Edit, then tap Show Recently Deleted. A folder appears with conversations you have removed in the past month.
Find the conversation you want to restore and tap it. A menu appears with options to Recover or Delete Permanently. Tap Recover to restore the conversation and all its messages to your main Messages list. After 30 days, deleted conversations are removed permanently and cannot be recovered.
Difference between deleting and archiving conversations
Deleting removes a conversation from your Messages list entirely. Archiving hides a conversation but keeps it stored on your phone. If you want to hide a conversation without removing it, you can swipe left and tap Archive instead of Delete. Archived conversations reappear in your list if the person texts you again.
Archiving is useful if you want to declutter your Messages list but may need to reference the conversation later. Deleting is the right choice if you want the messages completely removed from your active list and do not plan to reference them again.
What happens to deleted text messages
When you delete a message from your iPhone, it is removed from the Messages app on your device. However, your wireless carrier may retain copies of text messages on their servers for billing and legal reasons. The length of time carriers keep these records varies, but it is typically several months to a year.
Deleting messages from your iPhone does not delete them from your carrier's records or from the recipient's phone. If you need messages permanently removed from all systems, that is not something you can control from your device. Only the recipient can delete messages from their own phone, and only your carrier can delete their server copies according to their own retention policies.
Prevent accidental deletion with message pinning
If you have important messages you want to keep safe from accidental deletion, you can pin them to the top of a conversation. Press and hold the message, then tap Pin. Pinned messages appear at the top of the conversation thread and are visually marked with a pin icon.
Pinning a message does not prevent you from deleting it — you can still delete a pinned message if you choose to. But pinning makes important messages more visible and less likely to be removed by mistake when you are cleaning up a conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete all my text messages at once?
You can delete all conversations at once by opening the Messages app, tapping Edit, then tapping Select All (or manually selecting each conversation). Then tap Delete. This removes all conversations from your Messages list, but you have 30 days to recover them from the Recently Deleted folder if you change your mind.
Do deleted texts show up in iCloud backups?
If you delete a message and then back up your iPhone to iCloud, the deleted message will not be included in that backup. However, if you had already backed up your phone before deleting the message, that older backup will still contain the message. Restoring from an old backup will bring back deleted messages.
What if I delete a conversation but the person keeps texting me?
When someone texts you again, a new conversation thread starts with that person. Your old deleted conversation does not reappear. The new thread contains only messages from that point forward, not the messages you deleted earlier.
Can I delete text messages on my iPhone but keep them on my Mac?
If you have Messages syncing turned on across your devices, deleting a message on your iPhone will also delete it from your Mac, iPad, and other Apple devices linked to the same iCloud account. To keep messages on one device only, turn off Messages syncing in Settings on the devices where you want to keep them.