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Messages taking up 6.6GB?!

Drumjim85

Drumjim85

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Oct 7, 2007
2,605
243
DFW, TX
My iPhone 5 running 7.02 us running out of space. That's fine, except that when I went to my settings to see what I needed to delete, I noticed that Messages was the top app, taking up 6.6GB.
Any idea why? or how I could fix it?
 
Drumjim85 said:
My iPhone 5 running 7.02 us running out of space. That's fine, except that when I went to my settings to see what I needed to delete, I noticed that Messages was the top app, taking up 6.6GB.
Any idea why? or how I could fix it?
Click to expand...
Have you been sending or receiving a lot of large attachments via messaging?
 
It's all about the picture/video messages you have stored. Mine's about that size too. I've debated clearing it, but it's fun to have that history.
 
Groundhog66 said:
How does one delete it all?
Click to expand...

The two ways I'm aware of are:
  1. Delete all conversations and sync to iTunes (may not work)
  2. Restore from backup

I'm anxious to see if someone has something newer that works. I honestly am not being rude when I say there are a lot of threads on this and I'm going to start digging around. Since none have recent posts they either found a solution :) or gave up. :(
 
PNutts said:
The two ways I'm aware of are:
  1. Delete all conversations and sync to iTunes (may not work)
  2. Restore from backup

I'm anxious to see if someone has something newer that works. I honestly am not being rude when I say there are a lot of threads on this and I'm going to start digging around. Since none have recent posts they either found a solution :) or gave up. :(
Click to expand...


I have a new iPhone 5S that was just restored from a backup, still have over 5 GB on it.
 
1. Delete useless conversations.
2. Navigate useful conversations and delete useless media.
3. Backup iPhone to iCloud or iTunes.
4. Reset All Settings.
5. Restore from backup you just created.
 
emseven said:
1. Delete useless conversations.
2. Navigate useful conversations and delete useless media.
3. Backup iPhone to iCloud or iTunes.
4. Reset All Settings.
5. Restore from backup you just created.
Click to expand...

Seems like an awful lot of BS to go through, just to permanent delete contents of conversations.
 
Groundhog66 said:
Seems like an awful lot of BS to go through, just to permanent delete contents of conversations.
Click to expand...

And if the above were true, I should have all this message data stored on my new phone...I synced my new phone, to my most recent backup from my old phone.....so I'm thinking it isn't correct.
 
Groundhog66 said:
I have a new iPhone 5S that was just restored from a backup, still have over 5 GB on it.
Click to expand...

Groundhog66 said:
And if the above were true, I should have all this message data stored on my new phone...I synced my new phone, to my most recent backup from my old phone.....so I'm thinking it isn't correct.
Click to expand...

You utilized a backup from before you followed my instructions. Thus, the point of instructions.
 
The two solutions to this (and explanation of the bug, etc) have been posted many times before. I'm typing this on my phone so I'm afraid I can't link any threads, but do a search for iBackupBot in this forum, show results as threads. You will see plenty of threads with relevant titles.
 
Drumjim85 said:
My iPhone 5 running 7.02 us running out of space. That's fine, except that when I went to my settings to see what I needed to delete, I noticed that Messages was the top app, taking up 6.6GB.
Any idea why? or how I could fix it?
Click to expand...

Hold down your texts in the convo, press more delete all.

Do for all messages and reboot your phone.
 
I went thru this problem. I've tried Phone Clean Pro but it still doesn't get rid of the "saved messages". Look for posts regarding iBackupBot. It works! I was able to clean out all those old attachments which were part of my old messages. These originated prior to iOS7. supposedly, iOS7 has fixed this so if your able to delete the old stuff, you should be all clear for the future.

Good Luck,

jkk
 
Scroll through and delete all your messages. Do you really go back and look at them? If so then don't be upset they are taking up space. Maybe keep that one important thread if there is some sort of sentimental value there.

However there was a bug in iOS 6. And if you deleted messages during that time they were removed from view but the space they used was never cleared. Only ways to fix that is using ibackupbot to clear them then using that back up to restore the phone. OR restore from new and not use a back up (the wasted space will move with the back up).

When all my messages are deleted I have 1.7gb messages is still using. It's annoying as hell especially since it's wasting my iCloud space.
 
cynics said:
Scroll through and delete all your messages. Do you really go back and look at them? If so then don't be upset they are taking up space. Maybe keep that one important thread if there is some sort of sentimental value there.

However there was a bug in iOS 6. And if you deleted messages during that time they were removed from view but the space they used was never cleared. Only ways to fix that is using ibackupbot to clear them then using that back up to restore the phone. OR restore from new and not use a back up (the wasted space will move with the back up).

When all my messages are deleted I have 1.7gb messages is still using. It's annoying as hell especially since it's wasting my iCloud space.
Click to expand...
I don't get it... You know you can clear the space with iBackupBot without changing anything else on the phone, so why not free the 1.7 GB?
 
Drumjim85 said:
I guess that's it. I just wish there was an easier way to delete the media and keep the messages.
Click to expand...

There is. When you press any message a 'more' comes up that let's you select and delete whatever you want out of your message threads

----------
cynics said:
However there was a bug in iOS 6. And if you deleted messages during that time they were removed from view but the space they used was never cleared. Only ways to fix that is using ibackupbot to clear them then using that back up to restore the phone. OR restore from new and not use a back up (the wasted space will move with the back up).
Click to expand...

Interesting because I have never used ibackupbot and I had no issues with doing my standard backup and restore from iCloud during all that nonsense. My deleted messages etc were properly deleted. Perhaps it's because I had updated iOS before doing the backup I was using
 
charlituna said:
There is. When you press any message a 'more' comes up that let's you select and delete whatever you want out of your message threads

----------



Interesting because I have never used ibackupbot and I had no issues with doing my standard backup and restore from iCloud during all that nonsense. My deleted messages etc were properly deleted. Perhaps it's because I had updated iOS before doing the backup I was using
Click to expand...

If you deleted message threads with media files in them in iOS 6 (before iOS 6.1) and have only updated your phone, or restored using iTunes, this affects you and you won't be able to clear the dead space (consisting of the media files that were in the message threads you deleted) by simply deleting your messages. Ever.

If you don't fit into above category, you won't experience any issues.
 
hafr said:
I don't get it... You know you can clear the space with iBackupBot without changing anything else on the phone, so why not free the 1.7 GB?
Click to expand...

I don't have a computer readily available for such a task where I'm stationed nor will I for a year or so. I could go out and buy another Mac (I've been debating it) but I have a 2013 iMac 27" at home.

Regardless of circumstance it's still annoying whether I currently have the means or not was the point. Be nice if Apple could somehow fix this with an update (don't know if that's possible or not).
 
cynics said:
I don't have a computer readily available for such a task where I'm stationed nor will I for a year or so. I could go out and buy another Mac (I've been debating it) but I have a 2013 iMac 27" at home.

Regardless of circumstance it's still annoying whether I currently have the means or not was the point. Be nice if Apple could somehow fix this with an update (don't know if that's possible or not).
Click to expand...
Oh, I see. I don't think apple will release anything this long after they fixed the bug...

Have you tried backing it up to iCloud, wipe the phone (settings, general, reset, erase all files and settings) and then restore it from the iCloud backup? People report it works, although I haven't tried it myself.

Even if it doesn't work, all you've lost is time. Try it before going to bed and let it re-download all apps overnight.
 
Drumjim85 said:
My iPhone 5 running 7.02 us running out of space. That's fine, except that when I went to my settings to see what I needed to delete, I noticed that Messages was the top app, taking up 6.6GB.
Any idea why? or how I could fix it?
Click to expand...

I noticed mine took up 1.2GB I believe, but I don't know how to delete it. Like I usually delete all my messages eventually, but it will still say 1.2GB.
 
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