Learn how to delete iMessage attachments like photos, links, and documents in the built-in Messages app to free up storage space on your iPhone, iPad, and iCloud.
Apple Messages lets you easily manage attachments like photos, videos, links, documents, and other file types if you need to free up local storage space. And if you’ve set up Messages to sync via iCloud, deleting unwanted attachments will also free up your iCloud storage.
Delete Messages attachments like photos and links
1) Open a chat in the Messages app on your iPhone or iPad and hit the contact name at the top.
2) Depending on the media exchanged in this conversation, you may see categories like Photos, Links, and Documents, so tap any.
3) To remove an item, hold it and choose Delete from the menu.
To remove multiple attachments at once, hit Edit in the top-right corner and choose Select Photos in the menu. Mark the attachments you’d like to delete and then hit the trashcan icon in the bottom-right corner.
Repeat this for other attachment categories, like Documents and Links.
Delete attachments from the chat screen
The previous method only removes attachments from your device. You can also delete a specific chat containing an attachment, but doing so will also delete the message. Open any conversation and hold an attachment like a photo or a link, then choose More from the menu. Next, select additional items, if needed, and hit the trash icon to delete them at once.
Delete Messages attachments in the Settings app
You can manage Messages storage in the Settings app. Navigate to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and select Messages. You can now review large attachments under Recommendations or choose Photos or Videos under Documents to swipe-to-delete specific items. Or, hit the Edit button to remove multiple attachments in one fell swoop.
Deleting large attachments is among the first steps in removing unnecessary stuff and freeing up the limited storage space on your device. If there’s anything you’re struggling with in the Messages app, let us know in the comments, and a future tutorial may provide a solution.
Also, check out: 65+ tips and tricks for the Messages app on iPhone and iPad