How long do text messages stay on iPhone?

By default, the iPhone keeps all messages forever (or until you manually delete them). If you prefer, tap "30 Days" or '1 Year." If you do, the iPhone will automatically discard your messages after the selected time period.

How far back can text messages be retrieved on iPhone?

How Far Back Can Text Messages be Retrieved on iPhone? As we mentioned above, you can easily scroll to the first message on iMessage only if conversation history is kept on your iPhone. It means that you can retrieve text messages on iPhone even 4 years ago or longer.

Do iphones automatically delete texts?

Since there's no way for iOS users to delete all the messages at once, Apple offers an auto-delete feature to Messages. If you have turned on this feature, your iPhone will keep deleting messages automatically and regularly.

Are text messages saved forever?

Android - Quick steps to forever save text messages

Accept the prompt to Backup. All your text messages will start backing up to Gmail and can save them forever.

Do iPhone messages expire?

Expiring Audio Messages

All audio messages received and sent through the Messages app will expire within two minutes. For the audio messages you receive, the two-minute expiration timer starts after you have listened to them. For the ones you sent, the two-minute timer starts once you send them.

How Long Are TEXT Messages Stored on iPhone after Deletion

Do texts delete after a year?

Scroll down to the section labelled MESSAGE HISTORY. Tap Keep Messages. Choose either 30 days or 1 Year. This will delete messages older than one month or one year.

How long are text messages retained?

The text messages are stored in both locations. Some phone companies also keep records of sent text messages. They sit on the company's server for anywhere from three days to three months, depending on the company's policy. Verizon holds texts for up to five days and Virgin Mobile keeps them for 90 days.

Can I recover text messages from years ago?

If you are currently using a wireless backup service, check when the last backup was made. If the most recent backup was made before you accidentally deleted the texts, you can restore that backup to your phone and the text messages will be restored to your phone as well.

Can police retrieve deleted iPhone texts?

Keeping Your Data Secure

So, can police recover deleted pictures, texts, and files from a phone? The answer is yes—by using special tools, they can find data that hasn't been overwritten yet. However, by using encryption methods, you can ensure your data is kept private, even after deletion.

Do text messages get saved to iCloud?

You can back them up using your phone's native apps or go with a third-party option. Your iCloud account is powerful. It holds your messages, photos, mail, contacts, notes, passwords, and much more. Messages in iCloud are updated automatically so that you can see them across all your devices.

Why do iPhone messages disappear?

Sometimes iPhone text messages disappear from the inbox after an iOS software update or after a restart, but there are also cases that text messages just disappear from iPhone suddenly. If you have made backups for your iPhone before, you can always recover lost iPhone messages by restoring from iPhone backup files.

How do I stop my iPhone from automatically deleting old messages?

Disable auto-delete old messages on iPhone and iPad

Open Settings and tap Messages. Tap Keep Messages and choose Forever. From now on, the messages will only delete when you remove them manually. If you don't, they will stay saved forever.

Can you look up old iMessages?

Go to the Messages app. Find the Search bar on the main screen with all the conversation threads. You may need to drag down from the middle of the screen to make it appear. Type the words you remember in the search bar, or use your voice with a tap on the mic.

How do you look up old text messages?

How do you permanently delete text messages?

To delete a thread, press and hold on the thread you wish to delete from the main messaging menu. A checkmark will appear on top of the photo icon for your texting thread, and another action bar will appear at the top of the display. Next, tap the trash can icon and confirm by tapping 'Delete. '

Can your phone company recover text messages?

So, while you may feel that you have every right to access copies of text messages from your phone, your cell phone provider has an obligation to protect the privacy of the other participant in the conversation. Therefore, in order to retrieve text messages from your cell phone carrier, you must obtain a court order.

Can text messages be used in court?

It is now well-established by the court that SMS, MMS and e-mails are admissible.

Are deleted text messages stored anywhere?

When you move messages around or delete them, the data actually stays put. All you're doing is telling the phone to point at the files in different ways. Deleting a message from the inbox, for instance, just tells the phone not to point to it any more when it's listing the contents of that folder.

Where are deleted iPhone messages stored?

When a text message is deleted on the iPhone, it doesn't disappear permanently. First, a copy of it is sent to the network provider. Next, the copy in your phone isn't permanently deleted, but rather marked as "deleted" by the iPhone's internal database.

Do cell phones automatically delete text messages?

Auto-Delete Text Messages (SMS) on Android and iPhone

While Apple offers a built-in option to delete old text messages (SMS) in iPhones, there's no such native option available on Android.

Does my phone automatically delete text messages?

Make Sure "Delete Old Messages" is Off

If you do not already know, there is actually an option in the Messages app on your Android phone that lets you delete your old messages automatically. If this option is enabled, that is why your messages are being removed from your phone without your consent.

How far back do phone records go?

T-Mobile holds call records between seven and 10 years, spokesman Viet Nguyen says. MetroPCS maintains separate records and keeps them two years. Sprint holds call logs 18 months, spokeswoman Stephanie Vinge Walsh says. U.S. Cellular holds records one year, according to spokeswoman Katie Frey.

Does iMessage delete After months?

By default, the iPhone keeps all messages forever (or until you manually delete them). If you prefer, tap "30 Days" or '1 Year." If you do, the iPhone will automatically discard your messages after the selected time period.

How long are messages stored on iCloud?

With Messages in iCloud, your entire message history stays up to date across your devices. If you need to free up space in your iCloud storage, you can delete individual messages from all of your devices or turn off the Messages in iCloud feature.

Does auto delete old conversations Remove from iCloud?

The delete action will then occur automatically. Note: If you enable the iCloud Messages setting to store messages in iCloud, this will reset the automatically delete setting to Forever on the assumption that you will handle the messages in iCloud.