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iOS 7 reveals iMessage's are hogging my storage.

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DC1408

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 16, 2013
10
0
Not sure if this has a resolve, but it's taking 5GB of my storage and I cannot delete/edit. I delete my message threads regularly.

Not sure if I'm having a naive moment, but I'm unable to free up the memory. I guess a factory wipe would resolve this, but it's not practical at the moment, albeit I'm willing to do for the storage.
 

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DC1408

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 16, 2013
10
0
Hmm, it's most likely because I didn't do a fresh install out of curiosity to see how the update functioned as a delta over a back up restore.. Concerning if it's unfixable as I will eventually run out of storage due to messages (must also back up attached images/vids) that I don't want nor need. I also can't iCloud backup as its too large by default.
 
kirky29

kirky29

macrumors 68000
Jun 17, 2009
1,613
793
Lincolnshire, England
You know what, I noticed this too last week, my messages take up 1.9GB

Now I do send a lot of photos/video... I'd delete some conversations but well, I don't want too..

For some reason I was under the impression that iMessages sync to iCloud and only save a certain amount actually to the device and download the older messages as and when you scroll up to them... Slightly nerving thinking my messages are taking up so much valuable space!
 
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Naor

macrumors regular
May 19, 2013
107
0
DC1408 said:
Hmm, it's most likely because I didn't do a fresh install out of curiosity to see how the update functioned as a delta over a back up restore.. Concerning if it's unfixable as I will eventually run out of storage due to messages (must also back up attached images/vids) that I don't want nor need. I also can't iCloud backup as its too large by default.
Click to expand...

I updated OTA and didn't have any issues. That's just a myth.
 
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DC1408

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 16, 2013
10
0
kirky29 said:
You know what, I noticed this too last week, my messages take up 1.9GB

Now I do send a lot of photos/video... I'd delete some conversations but well, I don't want too..

For some reason I was under the impression that iMessages sync to iCloud and only save a certain amount actually to the device and download the older messages as and when you scroll up to them... Slightly nerving thinking my messages are taking up so much valuable space!
Click to expand...

Deleting conversations changes nothing, I delete mine regular. Only have 4 active conversations and as a thread goes, they're no more than a few days long.
 
DustinT

DustinT

macrumors 68000
Feb 26, 2011
1,556
0
Where did you find this display of the size consumed by iMessage? I'd like to check my phone too.
 
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bbfc

macrumors 68040
Oct 22, 2011
3,849
1,612
Newcastle, England.
DustinT said:
Where did you find this display of the size consumed by iMessage? I'd like to check my phone too.
Click to expand...

Settings > General > Usage. Wait for the top list to populate and tap Messages.

I had to tap of 'show all apps' for messages to show. Mine is 109mb.
 

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matt2053

macrumors 6502a
Jul 8, 2012
553
102
In my opinion this is the single biggest flaw in iOS and I'm surprised they still haven't addressed it.

As far as I can tell, every single photo and video sent or received via Messages is stored on your device forever, and there is no way to delete it!

My wife has to set up her phone as a new iPhone every few months because of this.
 
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AbSoluTc

Suspended
Sep 21, 2008
5,104
4,002
matt2053 said:
In my opinion this is the single biggest flaw in iOS and I'm surprised they still haven't addressed it.

As far as I can tell, every single photo and video sent or received via Messages is stored on your device forever, and there is no way to delete it!

My wife has to set up her phone as a new iPhone every few months because of this.
Click to expand...

False.

You can delete anything sent/received in Messages.


My Messages take up 1 gig of space. I wish there was a nice way of backing up my messages honestly.
 
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DC1408

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 16, 2013
10
0
AbSoluTc said:
False.

You can delete anything sent/received in Messages.


My Messages take up 1 gig of space. I wish there was a nice way of backing up my messages honestly.
Click to expand...

How do you delete them? I'm eager to free up my 5.7GB for something is can make use of. Deleting them through the message app does not free up the space, they seem to be backed up in the 'other' content.
 
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phr0ze

macrumors 6502a
Jun 14, 2012
513
0
Columbia, MD
AbSoluTc said:
False.

You can delete anything sent/received in Messages.


My Messages take up 1 gig of space. I wish there was a nice way of backing up my messages honestly.
Click to expand...

I have an app on my mac which backs up messages VERY well. It sucks all the pics/videos out and puts them into any folder in like 1 click. It also saves all messages into a database that you can browse later.

I have no interest in the company. I'm just saying this is what I use.
http://www.backuptrans.com/iphone-sms-mms-extractor-for-mac.html

EDIT: They make a PC version too. And yes I found other software out there but most of them were a pain to get out pictures/videos (I had like 5 years of history). And some claimed they couldn't go back to older messages.
 
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AbSoluTc

Suspended
Sep 21, 2008
5,104
4,002
phr0ze said:
I have an app on my mac which backs up messages VERY well. It sucks all the pics/videos out and puts them into any folder in like 1 click. It also saves all messages into a database that you can browse later.

I have no interest in the company. I'm just saying this is what I use.
http://www.backuptrans.com/iphone-sms-mms-extractor-for-mac.html
Click to expand...

I have something similar. Just never really used it honestly.

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DC1408 said:
How do you delete them? I'm eager to free up my 5.7GB for something is can make use of. Deleting them through the message app does not free up the space, they seem to be backed up in the 'other' content.
Click to expand...

You delete them from within iMessage. It does delete them and reduces the storage. I did it on mine a few days ago.
 
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phr0ze

macrumors 6502a
Jun 14, 2012
513
0
Columbia, MD
DC1408 said:
How do you delete them? I'm eager to free up my 5.7GB for something is can make use of. Deleting them through the message app does not free up the space, they seem to be backed up in the 'other' content.
Click to expand...

In iOS6 there use to be a clear all button. I suggest you delete all message threads, reboot, then report back.

Don't even save the 4.
 
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DC1408

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 16, 2013
10
0
Attached are the screens shots showing all messages deleted, and evidence that the existing messages I had only took up 0.1GB, leaning towards the impression that my entire messaging history is saved and inaccessible for editing. I think! :D
 

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AbSoluTc

Suspended
Sep 21, 2008
5,104
4,002
DC1408 said:
How do you delete them? I'm eager to free up my 5.7GB for something is can make use of. Deleting them through the message app does not free up the space, they seem to be backed up in the 'other' content.
Click to expand...

Mad Mac Maniac said:
Perhaps you haven't been paying attention but the OP clearly identified (3 times) that he/she has deleted their messages, and yet they appear to be backed up on the device somehow. That is what Matt2053 was implying
Click to expand...

Nope, not been paying attention at all. :rolleyes:
 
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phr0ze

macrumors 6502a
Jun 14, 2012
513
0
Columbia, MD
You are right. I guess you were bitten by the restore from backup.

The backup must have the messages locked up. Without doing a full restore you could go to Settings -> General -> Reset -> Erase all Content and settings.

If you keep a backup you can always go back if its too drastic.
 
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AbSoluTc

Suspended
Sep 21, 2008
5,104
4,002
Before and after Messages were deleted. I restored my phone from the cloud after installing iOS 7 Beta 1.
 

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CTHarrryH

macrumors 68030
Jul 4, 2012
2,935
1,431
I thought this was an issue with IOS6. there are threads about pictures never being deleted even when imessage was. I don't think there was an easy way to see the size but I think this is left over and should get fixed.
 
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0000757

macrumors 68040
Dec 16, 2011
3,894
850
When I deleted all mine it went down drastically. I restored from a Backup via computer on iOS 7b1 then upgraded to iOS 7b2

IMG_0001.JPG




IMG_0002.JPG
 
Jordan921

Jordan921

macrumors 603
Jul 7, 2010
5,069
2,171
Bay Area
DC1408 said:
Deleting conversations changes nothing, I delete mine regular. Only have 4 active conversations and as a thread goes, they're no more than a few days long.
Click to expand...

Actually deleting the conversations do work. Last night I was at 1.7gb and after I deleted a bunch I'm now down to 900mb.
 
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