How to delete messages and attachments in Messages on iPad

You can delete text messages, attachments, and entire conversations from your iPad anytime, without affecting what your recipients see.

You can also delete a conversation entirely, or delete multiple photos, videos, or other attachments and multiple conversations at once. Recently deleted messages and attachments can be permanently removed before 30 days, too. And on an ongoing basis, messages and attachments older than 30 days or a year can be deleted automatically.

Quick tip: If you sent a message accidentally, you can use Undo send to retract it within 2 minutes, deleting it from both your phone and your recipient’s phone.

Deleted messages and attachments stay in your Recently Deleted folder for up to 30 days, and you’re able to recover them.

Delete messages and attachments

1. Go to the Messages app on your iPad.
2. Open a conversation, touch and hold a message bubble or attachment, and then tap More.
3. Select the messages or attachments you want to delete. Tap the Delete button.

You can also delete a conversation entirely.

Delete multiple photos, videos, or other attachments

1. Open the Messages app on your iPad.
2. Tap the contact or group icon at the top of the conversation.
3. Tap a category, such as Photos.

   Tip: To see only one kind of image, tap the Filter button at the bottom left, then tap Screenshots, Videos, or Photos.

4. Tap Edit, then tap Select.
5. Tap each attachment you want to delete and tap the Delete button. Then tap to confirm the number of attachments you want to delete.

Delete a conversation

1. Open the Messages app on your iPad.
2. In the conversation list, do one of the following:
   • Swipe left on the conversation, then tap the Delete button.
   • Touch and hold the conversation, then tap Delete.

Delete multiple conversations

1. Open the Messages app on your iPad.
2. In the conversation list, tap Edit.
3. Tap Select Messages and then select conversations you want to delete.
4. Tap the Delete button and tap Delete.

Permanently remove recently deleted messages and attachments

Deleted messages and attachments remain in the Recently Deleted folder for 30 days, but you can permanently remove them before that.

1. Open the Messages app on your iPad.
2. Tap the Filter button at the top of the conversation list. Then tap Recently Deleted.
3. Select the conversations whose messages you want to delete permanently, tap the Delete button, and then tap Delete.

   Important: This can’t be undone.

Automatically delete old messages

You can delete messages and attachments that are older than 30 days or a year old, on an ongoing basis.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPad.
2. Tap Apps, then tap Messages.
3. Scroll down and tap Keep Messages (below Message History). Then choose an option.

Important: If you choose an option other than Forever, your conversations (including all attachments) are automatically removed after the specified time period elapses.

If you use Messages in iCloud, deleting a message or conversation on your iPad also removes it from all your devices with Messages in iCloud on.

Note: When you delete messages, it only affects your iPad and other Apple devices signed in to the same Apple Account. You can’t remove messages, attachments, or conversations for anyone else.

Want to delete everything, not just your messages? Read our guide, Erase iPad.

See also

• Unsend and edit messages on iPad
• Screen and filter text messages on iPad
• Automatically delete one-time verification codes