How to auto-delete old texts and silence annoying conversations in iOS 8

Posted:
in iPhone edited September 2014
The Messages application gains a number of significant new features with Apple's iOS 8 upgrade, especially for users who participate in group messages that might take up space or become bothersome.




Long-running text message threads, particularly ones that might be filled with pictures, will quickly take up space on an iPhone. Apple has addressed this problem in iOS 8 by adding a new "Message History" setting.

Users can customize this by launching the Settings application, choosing Messages, and then changing the "Keep Messages" option. The available options are 30 days, one year, or forever.

Selecting 30 days or one year warns users that the setting "will permanently delete all text messages and message attachments from your device" once they reach the expiration date.

For threads that remain active, Apple has made it easier than ever to go back and view older attachments and access other unique functions. These are available by hitting the "Details" menu in the upper right corner of a message thread.




From here, users can scroll down to the "Attachments" section and see a collection of pictures, video and any other media that may have been sent. Users can also name a group message thread if they choose.

iOS 8 also allows users to send their current location to members of the conversation, or share their location for three different time options: one hour, until the end of the day, or indefinitely.

Finally, for conversations that might be particularly bothersome or unwelcome, Apple has also added a Do Not Disturb switch. Enabling this will mute notifications for an ongoing conversation, ensuring that the user's phone is not constantly buzzing from new messages.

And if a group message thread has become absolutely unbearable, a new "Leave this Conversation" function is also included in iOS 8.

All of these features are in addition to the new quick sharing functions for sending audio, video, images and text in iOS 8, as also detailed by AppleInsider. For more, see our full list of tips for getting the most out of iOS 8.
«1

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    How do I fix the iMitosis of iMessage group conversations?
  • Reply 2 of 21
    A "1 Day" and "1 Week" option could be nice also.
  • Reply 3 of 21

    I set keep messages to 1 year, and messages immediately started behaving erratically. Hopefully it is just being slow while it goes through old messages and deletes them...

  • Reply 4 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post



    A "1 Day" and "1 Week" option could be nice also.

     

    Yes, it would also be nice to have something in-between 2 minutes and 1 year for videos and audio.

  • Reply 5 of 21

    The bigger question to me is, am I only deleting these from the device after 1 day, or is it deleting them off the servers as well so that I can't re-download the videos/pictures/messages? I've never seen this clearly stated anywhere.

  • Reply 6 of 21
    I tried leaving a group text, but it doesn't give me the option to leave. It just gives me the "Do not disturb" option...Does anyone know why is that?
  • Reply 7 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Smiles77 View Post

     

    The bigger question to me is, am I only deleting these from the device after 1 day, or is it deleting them off the servers as well so that I can't re-download the videos/pictures/messages? I've never seen this clearly stated anywhere.


     

    I'm confident that this is on the device level. I'm not sure how long the data exists on the server, but I doubt it has ever been indefinitely. Apple's servers can't contain all the messages sent by the millions of Messages users around the world.

  • Reply 8 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by iaeen View Post

     

    I'm confident that this is on the device level. I'm not sure how long the data exists on the server, but I doubt it has ever been indefinitely. Apple's servers can't contain all the messages sent by the millions of Messages users around the world.




    And yet they promise to do exactly that with everyone's pictures and videos. Unlimited storage. So what about messages? Or do I have to actually save it to my photostream to have it backed up permanently?

  • Reply 9 of 21
    Deleted
  • Reply 10 of 21
    Originally Posted by Smiles77 View Post

    And yet they promise to do exactly that with everyone's pictures and videos.



    Since when? iCloud is 30 days.

  • Reply 11 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

    Since when? iCloud is 30 days.


     

    At WWDC Apple said that iCloud Photo Library would have “Every photo you take. On all your devices.” After doing further research, it looks like this actually meant moving from the free Photostream to a paid iCloud Photo Library. I assumed it was free since it was replacing the old photostream.

  • Reply 12 of 21
    iaeen wrote: »
    Yes, it would also be nice to have something in-between 2 minutes and 1 year for videos and audio.

    Sure, why not. Finer grained controls would be better.
  • Reply 13 of 21
    What?! Why can't you FaceTime Victor nor Shane? This is ridiculous!
  • Reply 14 of 21
    Please add auto delete to mail as well, or at least a true, working delete all button.
  • Reply 15 of 21
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Smiles77 View Post

     

     

    At WWDC Apple said that iCloud Photo Library would have “Every photo you take. On all your devices.” After doing further research, it looks like this actually meant moving from the free Photostream to a paid iCloud Photo Library. I assumed it was free since it was replacing the old photostream.


     

    yeah this is unclear to me.

  • Reply 16 of 21
    iaeen wrote: »
    I'm confident that this is on the device level. I'm not sure how long the data exists on the server, but I doubt it has ever been indefinitely. Apple's servers can't contain all the messages sent by the millions of Messages users around the world.
    Quite right, Apple don't save the text iMessages. They are sent as a notification then deleted from Apples servers for this reason. Pics and video however I'm not sure of if they save them or not - as they send a link to the picture that your iPhone downloads to present to you as a message.
    I would assume they wouldn't keep them long if they did keep them.
  • Reply 17 of 21
    I have a feeling the delete messsages part wont delete the messages that have been on my phone for 4 years.

    Anyone know if this will work? I have it set for 30days but i dunno if it will just delete the most recent 30days since the update or if it will actually delete stuff from 2010 amd on.
  • Reply 18 of 21
    I have a feeling the delete messsages part wont delete the messages that have been on my phone for 4 years.

    Anyone know if this will work? I have it set for 30days but i dunno if it will just delete the most recent 30days since the update or if it will actually delete stuff from 2010 amd on.
  • Reply 19 of 21
    Looking for nice theme cases for your Iphone 6 or other Phones? Want to buy something to protect your Iphone 6 ?or you even want to print your photos on your phone?Here you are,you can design your phone case theme by yourself and buy cases at a discount of 10% if you use the couponcode:CCBONUS10 when you are paying an order,not ending date. http://www.casecoco.com/?031
  • Reply 20 of 21
    I cannot get Iphone 6 soon,I just own my Iphone5,BUT I believe Iphone 6 will be better,I even bought a nice case for Iphone 6.So I will buy 6.By the way , if anyone want a case for Ihone 6 or other phones,I share this link to help you,and I wouldn't tell you that you can buy cases at a discount of 10% if you use the couponcode:CCBONUS10 when you are paying an order,not ending date. http://www.casecoco.com/?031
Sign In or Register to comment.