My family and I love to share pictures and videos in a group text in Apple Messages. TSince COVID-19 struck, it has been mostly dogs, babies, food, snow, hiking, and multiple pictures of the 20+ bananas I accidentally bought in an online grocery order. Most of them aren't photos and videos that I want to keep forever. And even if I save my own copies, I don't necessarily want them buried in a text thread. What good do they do me there? Show
In addition to backing up and organizing photos from an iPhone or iPad, which you probably want to do first, you might also delete them from your Apple Messages app. Doing so will help you free up space on not only your mobile devices, but also any computers where you use Messages. Below are instructions for how to do it, but first, you need to know about three strange things that you might encounter while removing images and videos from your Apple devices. Watch Out for These 3 QuirksIn my experience deleting videos and images from Messages, I've noticed three quirks. First, even though I sync Messages between macOS and mobile devices, deleting the images and videos from one location doesn't delete them from the other. In other words, I can delete videos sent over text from my phone, but they still appear when I open Messages on my computer. If you're tidying up, be sure to do it in all the places where you use Messages. This second quirk happens on iPhone specifically. When I select multiple videos or images to delete from the Messages app, a button appears confirming that I want to Delete X Messages, and the X number is often wrong. For example, I deleted one video (and it didn't have any reactions on it, such as a heart or thumbs up) and the confirmation message said Delete 3 Messages. I don't know why this occurs, but it's never caused an unwanted deletion. Third, on mobile devices, if I try to scroll through the message thread to select multiple images and videos at once, the app often cannot handle it. Scrolling gets jittery and the app jumps around, making it impossible to see what I selected. This problem doesn't occur if I select multiple images and videos that are very close to one another, but it does happen when scrolling through the message history. You're best off deleting a few pieces of media at a time, then scrolling back and forth to find more. How to Delete Videos and Images from Messages on a MacThere are two ways to delete videos and images from your Messages app on a Mac. One way lets you delete them on the spot, one by one, and is best for clearing media right away. The other way lets you delete content in bulk; this method also enables you to sort items by size or date. This second option is best for when you want to free up space quickly and get rid of a bunch of photos, videos, bitmoji, or other visual content all at once. You can also delete entire conversations, meaning get rid of the entire text history in addition to all the media within the message thread. It's a much more extreme option. To do that, just right-click on the conversation and select Delete Conversation. Recommended by Our EditorsMethod 1: Delete Videos and Images from Apple Message on the Spot
Method 2: Delete Videos and Images from Apple Message en Masse
How to Delete Videos and Images from Messages on iPhone or iPadOnce again, you have two options for deleting videos and images from an iPhone or iPad. One is to do it from the Messages app, which we'll cover first. The second is to do it from the Settings, which allows you to focus on attachments and images that take up the most space. Method 1: Delete Videos and Images Directly from the Messages App
Method 2: Delete Video and Messages From the Settings
How to Save a Photo or Video from Apple MessagesIf you find any images or videos that you want to save, you can make a local copy on your device and then back up the image and organize it for safekeeping later. Here's how to save a copy:
More Ways to Clean Your TechThere's more to tidy up than just the images and videos stuck in your Messages app. For starters, did you know it's safe to use Clorox wipes to clean your phone? You might want to spring clean other digital junk from your PCs and mobile devices. PCMag also has tips on freeing up space on an Apple Watch, keeping a neat desk, and organizing your messy cables. Apple Fan?Sign up for our Weekly Apple Brief for the latest news, reviews, tips, and more delivered right to your inbox. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. How do I delete photos and videos from text messages?Hit Edit and tap on each one you want to delete, then hit the trash can icon in the top right to get rid of them. You can also swipe left on individual ones and tap Delete to send them to the trash.
How do I delete photos and videos from iPhone Messages?Delete a message or attachment on your iPhone or iPad
In a message conversation, touch and hold the message bubble or attachment that you want to delete. Tap More. Tap Delete , then tap Delete Message. If you want to delete all messages in the thread tap Delete All, in the upper-left corner.
Does deleting videos from Messages delete them on iPhone?Question: Q: Deleting photos/videos from text messages
Answer: A: No, it does not.
How do you delete attachments on iPhone Messages?Here's what you have to do to rid your device of all attachments.. Tap the Settings app.. Select General, then iPhone Storage.. Select Review Large Attachments under the Recommendations section. ... . Tap Edit and select the attachments that you want to delete and tap on the trash icon in the top right corner.. |