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To permanently delete messages on an iPhone or iPad, delete them in Messages, then remove them from Recently Deleted. Or set Keep Messages to automatically remove older messages after 30 days or one year. Deleting from Recently Deleted cannot be undone, and it does not erase a recipient’s copy.

Method 1: Permanently delete selected messages or conversations

  1. In Messages, open the conversation containing the item you want to remove.

  2. To delete an individual message or attachment, touch and hold it, tap More, select the item or items, then tap the Delete button. To delete an entire conversation, swipe left on it in the conversation list and tap Delete, or touch and hold the conversation and choose Delete.

  3. Open Recently Deleted from the Messages conversation list. On current Apple instructions, tap the Filter button to find it. If you use iOS 18, Apple’s recovery instructions say to tap Edit on the conversations page instead; labels and routes can vary by software version.

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  4. Select the conversations or messages to remove, tap Delete, then confirm. Apple labels this action permanent and warns: “Important: This can’t be undone.”

Deleting an item in a conversation first generally moves it to Recently Deleted rather than removing it permanently. Apple’s iPhone and iPad deletion guides say items remain there for up to 30 days, but you can delete them from that folder sooner.

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Method 2: Automatically remove older messages

  1. Open Settings.

  2. Tap Apps, then Messages.

  3. Under Message History, tap Keep Messages.

  4. Choose a retention period instead of Forever. Apple lists 30 days and one year; messages and attachments older than the selected period are removed automatically.

This is an ongoing age-based setting, not an immediate way to erase one specific conversation. Use the Recently Deleted steps when you need to remove selected items now.

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How long can deleted messages be recovered?

Apple’s iPhone and iPad deletion guides say Recently Deleted keeps items for up to 30 days. A separate Apple recovery article, published April 2, 2026, says messages deleted within the last 30 to 40 days may be recoverable. The windows are described differently, so do not rely on an exact cutoff: check Recently Deleted promptly. Apple says recovery requires iOS 16 or later on iPhone, or iPadOS 16.1 or later on iPad. Apple’s recovery instructions explain the supported process.

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What deletion does—and does not—remove

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