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How to permanently delete text messages from iphone
Hi all, I am going to sell my phone and there are a couple of sensitive text messages I want to delete them permanently. I tried the built-in deletion but they can be recovered with some smart iPhon...
This is the most effective free method if you are going to permanently delete text messages from iPhone, but it requires forethought and erases everything.
The "Encrypted Nuke" Method:
- Before you need to delete sensitive messages: Ensure you have a strong alphanumeric passcode (not a simple 4- or 6-digit code). Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode to change it. This strengthens your encryption key.
- When you need to permanently delete text messages from iPhone: Back up ONLY what you want to keep (photos, contacts) to iCloud or a computer.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
- This is the critical part: During the erase process, iOS asks if you want to "Also erase the encryption keys" or provides an option to "Erase with Advanced Data Protection" (if enabled). This process destroys the old encryption keys, making all previous data on the storage cryptographically inaccessible. It's the closest to "permanent" you can get for free.
- Set up the iPhone as new or restore your clean backup.