Deleting Individual Messages
If you want to delete specific messages within a conversation, follow these steps:
- Open the Messages app on your iOS device (iPhone or iPad) or Mac.
- Navigate to the conversation containing the message you wish to delete.
- Tap and hold the message bubble you want to delete. On a Mac, you can right-click the message.
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A menu will appear with several options. Select "More" (iOS) or "Delete" (Mac).
On iOS: After selecting "More," you can check off multiple messages, and then tap the trash can icon at the bottom left corner to delete them. - Confirm the deletion by tapping "Delete Message" (iOS) or "Delete" (Mac) when prompted.
Your selected message(s) will be permanently removed from the conversation.
Deleting Entire Conversations
If you want to clear an entire conversation, here's how you can do it:
- Open the Messages app on your iOS device or Mac.
- Find the conversation you want to delete in the list of conversations.
- Swipe right (iOS) or right-click (Mac) on the conversation.
- On iOS, tap the "Delete" button, or on Mac, select "Delete Conversation."
Confirm your action when prompted.
Automatically Delete Messages (iOS)
In iOS, you can set your device to automatically delete messages after a certain period. This is useful for managing storage and keeping your conversations tidy:
- Go to Settings on your iOS device.
- Scroll down and select "Messages."
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Under the "Message History" section, tap "Keep Messages."
Choose between "30 Days" or "1 Year." This will automatically delete messages that are older than the selected time frame. - Clearing Messages on Mac
If you use iMessage on your Mac, you can clear messages just as easily:
- Open the Messages app on your Mac.
- In the menu bar, go to "Messages" and select "Preferences."
- Click on the "General" tab.
- Under the "Message History" section, click the "Keep messages" dropdown menu and choose your desired retention period.
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