iOS 26 Restoring YEARS of deleted messages!

This is beyond “disenchantment”.. TOTAL frustration in 2 Key Ways:

It will take DAYS to manually delete AGAIN, messages that have reappeared in iOS 26 that had long been deleted years ago (I’m seeing 4 years at least of old texts with various, not all, contacts returned in iMessages). Is there a fix to save this time?
What does this reveal? What are the implications that these “deleted” messages are STILL in circulation (local on device, iCloud server) when the user clearly intended to delete them YEARS ago? (I researched beta testers from a few months ago discussing this experience). It’s not novel to me. I need some answers here.

Thank you in advance.

iPhone 11

Posted on Sep 20, 2025 11:42 PM

Top-ranking reply

PotatoStation

Level 1

14 points

Posted on Sep 26, 2025 8:11 AM

Changed my message history back to 30 days in message setting did the trick. Gave it a few seconds. iOS upgrade changes than setting to forever. Which could have been those messages flagged as forever back years ago. I would still say this is a bug because current settings should apply to even old messages.

View in context

18 replies

alexx226

Level 1

20 points

Sep 22, 2025 3:30 AM in response to Somethinaintright

mine deleted the last imessages I had with my deceased mother I am absolutely sick about it! Idk how to get them back

Sep 27, 2025 8:41 PM in response to George Mcgee

Is this a bug or some kind of back door law enforcement compliance protocol? Sure makes won wonder.. If it was, why don’t they just be forthcoming about it to consumers you know?

DrVee36

Level 1

8 points

Oct 2, 2025 4:38 AM in response to alexx226

Hi mine did the same thing, just wondering if you had any luck restoring them.

iOS 26 Restoring YEARS of deleted messages!