Why do deleted messages keep coming back on iPhone?

Why do deleted messages keep coming back on iPhone?
I have been experiencing a frustrating issue with my iPhone. Despite my best efforts to clear out my messages and maintain a cleaned-up inbox, deleted messages keep coming back on my device. I would go through the process of deleting multiple conversations, only to find that after some time, these messages reappear as if I never deleted them in the first place. It’s baffling and quite annoying because it clutters up my message threads and makes it difficult to stay organized. I’ve tried various methods to erase them permanently, but nothing seems to work. This persistent problem is becoming increasingly confusing, and I can’t figure out why it keeps happening.
7 Answers

A simple yet effective trick might be to perform a hard reset. To do this, press and quickly release the Volume Up button, then the Volume Down button, followed by pressing and holding the Side button until the Apple logo appears. This can fix many software anomalies that could be causing the issue.

This issue could be due to the messages not properly syncing across your iCloud account. Make sure ‘Messages in iCloud’ is enabled on all your Apple devices. This setting keeps your messages updated and synced across your devices. To check this, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and ensure Messages is turned on.

Restore conflicts can also bring back deleted messages. If you recently restored your iPhone from an iCloud backup, it might have brought back old messages that you had deleted. Try deleting the messages again and then create a new backup. This way, the latest backup will reflect your message deletions.

Sometimes, a software glitch can cause this issue. Always make sure your iPhone is running the latest iOS version as updates often include bug fixes that address such problems. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and download the latest update if it’s available. This could resolve the reappearing message problem.

Another method to consider is signing out of your Apple ID and then signing back in. Open Settings, tap on your name at the top, scroll down and tap Sign Out. After you’ve signed out, restart your iPhone and sign back in. This can reset iCloud synchronization issues and help ensure that when you delete messages, they stay deleted.