Clearing old numbers that have been removed from contacts

[I-Sean]

Even though I have changed the contact numbers for several friends, when I search in the text message screen, the old, removed numbers still show up, along with the new numbers. This makes it hard to remember which one to pick and also leads to sending a message to the wrong number on occasion.

How do I clear this?? (4S)

 

[Lylyluvda916]

good questions!

Ive run into this issue since icloud was introduced. i think it might have to be deleted or edited from icloud. I'll try this and get back to you on that but thank you for asking this question. Hopefull someone has a solution.

 

[Communicator]

Seems to be an Apple Message software feature or glitch!
Instead of setting up the handset again as a new phone, which would no doubt clear up the matter, I found this workaround to the problem.

I made a new contact called Xxxxxxxxxx ( I don't have any contacts starting with one X, never mind a series of them! ) and I assigned the old number to that. ( You could even make a contact with the name *!!4££! )

Then I sent a text to that old number.

Then I deleted the new Xxxxxxxxxx contact, and the text message I sent.

The old number no longer troubles me, even though still in the message cache somewhere, because it has been reassigned to a deleted contact beginning with Xxxxxxxxxx, and that's a name I'll never be texting to again.

Great to be rid of what became a real pain, with seemingly no solution, other than setting the phone up again as a new handset.

Hopefully the folks at Apple tech. can sort this in iOS 7!


Communicator

 

[I-Sean]

This is a really good idea. Thx !