[avaneely1]

If I delete an iMessage conversation I understand it remains on my device but hidden (can be found on spotlight search). If I delete this message thread from my handset, then back up on iTunes or iCloud, then restore my handset to factory settings and then restore from the back up...will this remove the thread from my phone? Seems there is no easy way to permanently delete iMessage conversations....?

[Bigeric23]

First, I just tested deleting an iMessage on my iPhone, and I could not locate it via Spotlight. Second, the only way to truly remove data from an iOS device is to overwrite the original content.

[Just_Me_D]

Yes, only resetting the device will remove the cache in this matter, unfortunately. All you can do is go to Settings - General - Spotlight Search and then uncheck Messages. That'll prevent those conversations from being a part of the spotlight search results.

[mikeo007]

I haven't seen deleted messages show up in spotlight before.
Are you sure they're deleted?

[Bigeric23]

I haven't seen deleted messages show up in spotlight before.
Are you sure they're deleted?

Me either. And I've tested it, too.

[Just_Me_D]

I haven't seen deleted messages show up in spotlight before.
Are you sure they're deleted?

Deleted messages, at least a portion of them, will show up in a Spotlight search. The screenshot below depicts a cached iMessage from my oldest son. The iMessage was deleted approximately 2 weeks ago.

[mikeo007]

Deleted messages, at least a portion of them, will show up in a Spotlight search. The screenshot below depicts a cached iMessage from my oldest son. The iMessage was deleted approximately 2 weeks ago.

Odd, just tried it and didn't get the same result. You can clear the cache by turning off messages in the spotlight settings and then re-enabling it. That should get rid of the hanging results.

[Just_Me_D]

Odd, just tried it and didn't get the same result. You can clear the cache by turning off messages in the spotlight settings and then re-enabling it. That should get rid of the hanging results.

Not for me. I always keep messages from being displayed via the Spotlight search results. I just enabled it to show that it does indeed cache iMessages - at least it does on my iPhone. It's not a problem for me because no one uses my iPhone except me, and I know that I'll wipe the device and set it up as new next week when iOS 8.4 drops.

[Ledsteplin]

I've never seen cached messages in Spotlight. Were they messages you manually deleted or did they expire after 30 days?

Never mind. You said 2 weeks.
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[mikeo007]

Not for me. I always keep messages from being displayed via the Spotlight search results. I just enabled it to show that it does indeed cache iMessages - at least it does on my iPhone. It's not a problem for me because no one uses my iPhone except me, and I know that I'll wipe the device and set it up as new next week when iOS 8.4 drops.

That's really strange, and definitely sounds like either a bug or some caching setup that I'm not aware of.

[Just_Me_D]

That's really strange, and definitely sounds like either a bug or some caching setup that I'm not aware of.

I hear you........it's also possible that syncing with iTunes or a iCloud backup might delete the cache, but I don't know for certain in this regard. I don't backup my device every day because my data gets synced to the cloud in some form or fashion.

[Ledsteplin]

The message that shows on Spotlight for my Wife goes back to the first undeleted message, which was April 8th. No deleted messages though. Odd.


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[Waniller]

There are lot of articles recommend some iPhone data erase tool , but i will not easily believe it, especially the iPhone data are not easily to deleted, even though you deleted them , the messages are easy to recovered again , isn't it ?