Deleting new messages on Apple Watch deletes all the message on iPhone

I finally got a tech support person who acknowledged it was due to the last update. I was told that Apple was aware of the”bug” and would release a new update to resolve the issue. We can hope it is resolved and our messages on our iPhones are recovered. Now I worry that all those messages that I deleted on my Apple Watch will be restored on that device as well.

Beckster8806 wrote:

Oh wow I really hope they do another update to change it back to how it was!

Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

funkygal25 wrote:

This is the absolute worst update ever. I would rather keep my messages on my phone and be able to clear my watch without them disappearing on my phone like it always did. I HATE IT! Also, why hasn’t there ever been a way to revert back and undo the last update?

Well, apparently millions of users thought that deleting messages from an Watch should work exactly the same way as deleting them from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and told that to Apple over and over though the feedback link. I’ve seen countless posts saying so. You can give your opinion the same way→Product Feedback - Apple

And the reason you can’t revert updates is because all updates include security patches, and reverting would make devices vulnerable to the malware that the updates blocked.

This was nothing to do with iCloud. It’s between the phone and the watch only because the Watch doesn’t use iCloud. If it did we could turn it off on the Watch and get back the old way. I have it off on my phone so I know this.

Realistically, this is how it should have been designed from the beginning but wasn’t. Now, after ten years, they change it without so much as a heads up. Talking to Apple support and it was relayed that this is “expected behavior.” It was not expected for those that have used an Apple Watch from the beginning.

I tell everyone go to Apple Feedback and post your complaint there is the only way for Apple developers see your complaint. I believe I’ve posted 10 complaints About this there. Let’s hope they see this and make the change back.

Honda480 wrote:

Why when I delete messages from my Apple Watch the messages delete from my iPhone also ! I need the messages on my iPhone but not on my watch ! What can I do ? It’s very frustrating to me ! Help !

You can't change the behavior.

You can let Apple know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

SharHM wrote:

Has there been a fix to this.

This was the fix. People had been complaining for years that deleting from the watch didn't delete elsewhere. So Apple changed it.

You can let Apple know you're not happy with the change here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Product Feedback - Apple

You need to send feedback only way to get it corrected

Go to Settings/[your name]/iCloud and tap Messages. Do you have Use on this iPhone turned on?

You can tap on a message on your watch, then scroll down and tap Dismiss. This will hide it on the phone, but not delete it.

http://apple.com/feedback

Please complain here.

Deleting an iMessage on the watch would remove it from the watch only. Now it’s deleting them from the phone. It’s a complete surprise to anyone that has used an Apple Watch and iMessages in the last 10 years because it’s the complete opposite of what we expect. By habit many (most) read the message on the watch and delete it knowing the full quality original is on the phone. Now doing something that’s a habit deleted not only the newest message but the entire thread. At least we can retrieve them from the Recently Deleted because it hasn’t been 30 days from the release.

With that tone, have you used an Apple Watch and iMessages?

Clearly you are the one not understanding. For me to be helpful, I need to know in what context you’d like your messages on one device but not the other.

If it’s simply because you “want to” delete the messages off the watch but not the phone then the answer is you can’t anymore. Sorry. Without more information I can’t provide a more helpful answer or alternative that can accomplish the same end goal.

I have no idea why Apple changed this, why don’t you ask them? This is not the place to do that.

coachrmz wrote:

I've always in 8 years been able to delete a message from my watch and it would stay on my phone.

Yes, it was that way. Now it is not. People have been asking for the change pretty much since the Watch was released.

Its messy, and most times I keep docs and photos in messages on my phone.

Save them to Photos and/or Files.

Mendelman79 wrote:

I want the message deleted off my watch but not off my phone like I’ve always have done in the past. I don’t want to pin any text messages..

Tell Apple what you'd like to see:

Product Feedback - Apple

But, given that people have been requesting for years that messages deleted on the Watch get deleted on other devices, I don't see it as likely that Apple will backtrack on this.