iCloud stores data like photos, documents, and messages on Apple’s servers so it can be synced across devices. Even when a user deletes something from their iPhone, it may still be retained in iCloud for a period of time. So how long do deleted iMessages stick around in iCloud?
The Short Answer
Deleted iMessages will stay in iCloud for up to 40 days before being permanently deleted. However, there are some exceptions that can extend this period.
Looking at iCloud Message Retention
When a user deletes a message thread or individual iMessage on their iPhone, it gets marked for deletion in iCloud. The messages aren’t immediately removed from Apple’s servers though. There is a grace period where the deleted messages will still be retained in iCloud for up to 40 days.
This 40 day window provides a safety net just in case the user wants to recover deleted messages. If they have another device synced to the same iCloud account, such as an iPad or Mac, the deleted messages may still be visible and recoverable on that secondary device during this period.
The 40 day retention period also allows users to restore deleted messages if they use the iCloud restore feature when setting up a new iPhone. Restoring from an iCloud backup will retrieve messages and data that have been marked for deletion but not yet permanently erased from Apple’s servers.
Exceptions That May Extend Message Retention
While Apple aims to permanently delete old iMessages after 40 days, there are some situations that can extend the time deleted messages stick around in iCloud:
- Messages backed up locally – If a user does a backup of their iPhone to a Mac or PC, either through iTunes or Finder, it creates a local backup file that also retains deleted messages up to 40 days.
- Messages retained in other backups – If a user has multiple backups stored in iCloud (for example monthly backups), then deleted messages may exist longer than 40 days in older backups.
- Users continuing to access iCloud – As long as a user keeps actively using their iCloud account, Apple retains some data, including potentially deleted messages, until they download everything to a new device.
So while the normal iCloud retention period for deleted messages is about 40 days, users shouldn’t assume messages are permanently erased from Apple’s servers after that exact timeframe. The exceptions mean certain deleted iMessages have the potential to stick around longer in iCloud under specific circumstances.
Manually Deleting iCloud Messages
If a user wants to make sure a message is permanently deleted from their iCloud storage, beyond just marking it for deletion on an iOS device, they can take extra steps to manually remove iMessages from iCloud.
On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Messages. This will show message attachments stored in iCloud. Tapping on any attachment gives the option to delete it. This removes that specific message attachment from iCloud immediately.
To delete entire conversations from iCloud, users can log into iCloud.com from a Mac or PC web browser. Under the Apps section, open the Messages app. Find the conversation you want removed from iCloud and delete it. This forces the messages to be permanently deleted rather than just marked for deletion.
How Other Platforms Handle Deleted Messages
For comparison, here is a quick look at how long deleted messages stick around in other popular messaging platforms before being permanently erased:
WhatsApp media deleted by a user stays on WhatsApp’s servers for up to 30 days before being deleted. WhatsApp media backed up to Google Drive or iCloud sticks around until the user manually deletes it from their cloud storage.
Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger deleted messages and media are erased immediately and cannot be recovered.
Telegram
Telegram offers a feature where users can preset messages to self-destruct after a period of time, from 2 seconds to 1 month. Otherwise, Telegram does not have a set retention period for deleted messages. The Telegram FAQ states they store data “for as long as we need it to provide you with the service” and users cannot recover deleted messages.
Slack
By default, Slack immediately and permanently deletes messages deleted by a user. However, workspace administrators can set an optional retention policy of up to 10 years for all messages, including deleted ones, if required to meet industry compliance standards.
Discord
Discord does not have a set retention period for deleted messages. Deleted messages cannot be recovered once erased.
The Effect of Deleting iCloud Messages Locally
When a user deletes an iMessage from their iPhone, it is marked for deletion in iCloud but still may exist on Apple’s servers for up to 40 days. But what happens if you manually go in and delete iCloud messages or message attachments?
Removing messages or attachments directly through iCloud has the effect of immediately and permanently deleting that message data from Apple’s servers. So if you log into iCloud.com and delete a conversation, that completely removes the messages right away rather than just marking them for future deletion.
This highlights an important distinction between how deleting messages locally vs in the cloud affects retention. Local iPhone deletions just mark them for deletion in iCloud. But manual iCloud deletions erase data immediately in a way that cannot be undone.
Recovering Deleted iMessages
If a user accidentally deleted an important iMessage conversation, what options do they have for trying to recover it?
For recently deleted messages still within the normal 40 day iCloud retention period, the easiest way to retrieve them is from another synced device like an iPad or MacBook that still has access to the messages. The messages will disappear from these secondary devices once the retention period expires.
Users can also recover deleted messages within the last 40 days by restoring from an iCloud backup. Backups include data marked for deletion that isn’t fully erased yet. So restoring an iPhone from an iCloud backup retrieves the deleted messages.
Another option is to use third-party software that scans your iPhone or iCloud data for deleted messages and attachments that may be salvageable. However, this type of deep scanning cannot recover anything already permanently erased by exceeding iCloud retention limits or manual deletions.
Does Disabling iCloud Delete Existing Messages?
What happens to iCloud messages if a user turns off iCloud messaging entirely and disables their account? Does this immediately wipe all stored conversations?
Disabling iCloud messaging and deleting your iCloud account does not instantly or permanently erase existing conversations stored in iCloud. The messages remain available in iCloud for the normal 40 day retention period as if you had simply deleted them locally.
So after disabling iCloud messaging, your conversations remain retrievable if you re-enable your account within 40 days. Once that retention period ends, the messages and attachments will be deleted.
iCloud Message Limits
In addition to deleted message retention, iCloud also has limits on how much total storage space messages can use before new ones will stop syncing across devices.
All iCloud users start with 5GB of free storage space. Once your account reaches the 5GB limit, new iMessages will not sync until you delete enough messages to get under the limit.
You can also upgrade to a paid iCloud+ storage plan for more space. The pricing is:
| iCloud+ Storage Tier | Price Per Month |
|---|---|
| 50GB | $0.99 |
| 200GB | $2.99 |
| 2TB | $9.99 |
With a paid iCloud+ plan, you get more than enough message storage to not have to worry about hitting limits. But with the free 5GB plan, storage can fill up quickly, especially if you send a lot of photos or videos in iMessage conversations.
Managing iCloud Message Storage
If you’re getting notifications about iCloud storage being full, here are some tips to free up iCloud message space:
- Delete old conversations you no longer need.
- Remove message attachments like photos and videos.
- Turn off Messages in iCloud so new messages only save locally.
- Downgrade the size of attachments like videos that may be unnecessarily large.
- Upgrade to a paid iCloud+ storage plan.
Manually managing iCloud message storage prevents running into issues with syncing across devices. Ideally, avoid needing to constantly prune messages to stay under the limit.
Conclusion
In summary, here are the key points to keep in mind when it comes to deleted iMessages and iCloud:
- Deleting an iMessage on your iPhone marks it for deletion from iCloud.
- Deleted messages typically remain available in iCloud for up to 40 days.
- Backups and other factors may result in some deleted messages being retained longer than 40 days.
- Manually removing messages from iCloud deletes them permanently and immediately.
- Disabling iCloud doesn’t instantly erase your messages.
- Deleted messages can be recovered from other synced devices or iCloud restore.
Understanding iCloud’s retention policies for deleted messages helps avoid losing important conversations. While Apple aims to permanently delete everything after around 40 days, manual deletions and backups create some exceptions. Overall, iCloud provides a helpful safety net while cleaning up obsolete message data over time.
