Deleting new messages on Apple Watch deletes all the message on iPhone

Listen, I understand the method of which this was supposed to work and the fix is in with Watch OS11 but it’s terrible!! Over the years I’ve had 2 Apple Watches and both did exactly the same delete from both Separately that was GREAT! I wanted to keep those messages that I wanted.. I’m not going to pin anything, I’ve expressed my displeasure on the feedback many of times that’s all I can do!! As you see by this thread MANY others feel the same as I do! Apple should have giving us the option maybe don’t sync messages to the cloud … I understand those messages are not lost because their in the cloud, if I know those messages stay on my phone I’m good I’ll delete them when I want. I just don’t want them on my watch.

[Edited by Moderator]

That’s what we’re all complaining about that we DON’T want messages deleted from our phone once they are deleted from our watch. I said nothing about iPads… I have friends who are NOT having this problem like you after they installed Watch OS 11 and iOS 18 on there phones but some of us are having an issue with deleting messages from that phone after it’s deleted from the watch. I’m not sure you fully understand the post exactly.. Some individuals are not having that problem and some of us are. I said that in earlier post.

I like that I can get texts on my Watch, for sure. And prior to iOS18 I would go in to my Watch and clean up texts. Ya know, storage wise. I would still have those messages on my phone and would delete etc. The thing is, my phone is my main go-to, not my Watch. My Watch is an addition to the functionality. My phone is the main thing. Now they’ve made it so my phone doesn’t even do a text tone anymore, it comes from my Watch.

jadenie43 wrote:

Now they’ve made it so my phone doesn’t even do a text tone anymore, it comes from my Watch.

Since the first Watch was released it has always worked that way. It is not a case of “Now” - text tones have always defaulted to the watch if the watch was being worn and the phone was locked. This is not a change.

The reasoning is if you received text alerts on both devices it would be really annoying.

I strongly agree that deleting messages on Apple Watch SHOULD NOT take the messages from my iPhone. How could Apple think this is a good idea? Best choice would be the user decides if one deletes from the other.

Christina904 wrote:

We definitely need an update to correct this.

Actually, this is an update to correct the bug where deleting from a watch did NOT delete messages from other platforms. That is counter to all other Apple iCloud functions, where deleting from one platform is always synced to all other platforms. This was the ONE exception and it made no sense.

randerson64 wrote:

They probably did this because they want people to go out and buy new watches with more memory. It's always about selling more stuff...

If that’s a new feature how does that mean they want people to buy new watches that will do exactly the same thing? There seems to be a breakdown in basic logic in your explanation. Messages don’t use a significant amount of storage on a watch; on mine they occupy all of 14 MB.

Has this been solved yet because it’s incredibly annoying?

I just updated and had I known I would not…..

I don’t want to keep messages on my watch, but I do on my phone.

I’ve never had this problem with any watch- apple, Fitbit, garmin….

Mendelman79 wrote:

I want the message deleted off my watch but not off my phone like I’ve always have done in the past. I don’t want to pin any text messages..

Tell Apple what you'd like to see:

Product Feedback - Apple

But, given that people have been requesting for years that messages deleted on the Watch get deleted on other devices, I don't see it as likely that Apple will backtrack on this.

This is not an issue. It is an update to FIX an issue - that deleting text on the Watch did NOT delete it from iCloud the way all other platforms work. If you delete a text from an iPhone it will delete it from an iPad, a watch, and a Mac. The way the watch worked was not consistent with the way all other iCloud syncing works. That issue has been fixed.

Apple doesn't read here in this user-to-user forum for feedback or suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

jadenie43 wrote:

This is happening to me too! So annoying. Where do I offer feedback? I went on a chat tonight with Apple and realized because I deleted from my Watch it also deleted from my phone. When in the past, I could clear out my Watch messages and the phone messages remained.

Yes, until iOS 18 messages on a watch were broken, because the did NOT delete the message from the phone when they were deleted from the watch, unlike deleting messages from any other synced platform like a Mac or an iPad. So Apple fixed that problem.

If you think Apple should break it again go here→Product Feedback - Apple and let them know.

jsummer636 wrote:

Having the same issue

has anyone found a fix without waiting on apple to fix there worst update ever

They DID fix it. Until iOS 18 messages on a watch were broken, because the did NOT delete the message from the phone when they were deleted from the watch, unlike deleting messages from any other synced platform like a Mac or an iPad. So Apple fixed that problem.

If you think Apple should break it again go here→Product Feedback - Apple and let them know.

RiverviewPark wrote:

How could Apple think this is a good idea?

Maybe because people have been asking for this feature for years.

Best choice would be the user decides if one deletes from the other.

I guess you haven't owned Apple products for very long. That's rarely the choice Apple makes. But, you can let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Slim980 wrote:

Where must we put those for a higher upgrade of a watch? Mines at eight and I never had this issue until I updated so they need to fix it.

Did you read any of the rest of the thread before posting? Apple made a change in how things work, probably responding to years of complaints about how deleting messages on the Watch didn't delete them on the iPhone and vice versa. So, I don't think Apple views this as something that needs to be "fixed." It is the fix.

Also, Apple doesn't read here for feedback our suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Note that this has nothing to do with getting a new watch. It will work this way on any watch upgraded to watchOS 11.

MysticalKajun wrote:

It’s doing it to my new 10 watch

i just got it

it started happening when I updated to iOS 18

As IdrisSeabright said in a post above that you apparently didn’t read:

Did you read any of the rest of the thread before posting? Apple made a change in how things work, probably responding to years of complaints about how deleting messages on the Watch didn't delete them on the iPhone and vice versa. So, I don't think Apple views this as something that needs to be "fixed." It is the fix.

Also, Apple doesn't read here for feedback our suggestions. You can, however, let them know your thoughts here:

Product Feedback - Apple

Note that this has nothing to do with getting a new watch. It will work this way on any watch upgraded to watchOS 11.