User level: Level 1 (10 points)I have an iPhone and an iPad with the Messages app. I spent a lot of time deleting texts from my phone but they’re still showing up on my iPad. If I sync the iPad to the cloud, how can I make sure that it doesn’t add those texts back to my iPhone?
Posted on Oct 21, 2026 6:28 AM
User level: Level 10 (169,253 points)Oct 21, 2026 7:49 AM in response to 88-Irish
When iCloud Messages is enabled, message deletion is synced across all devices with iCloud Messages enabled.
Here, I’d first enable iCloud Messages on the iPhone, then on the iPad.
User level: Level 1 (10 points)Oct 21, 2026 10:38 AM in response to MrHoffman
Thanks! I should have mentioned that I already have iCloud sync with iPhone messages, but not with iPad. When I used the iPad Messages app this morning, I noticed a couple of photos there that I’d already deleted from my iPhone. That’s why I am apprehensive about turning on iCloud sync for iPad Messages.
User level: Level 10 (169,253 points)Oct 21, 2026 1:41 PM in response to 88-Irish
Maybe then the backups are somewhat lacking, too?
Get backups of iCloud data and of local data, then enable.
Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256380236