Messages not backing up since beta 5's 'Messages in iCloud' removal

[Brookzy]

Messages in iCloud was working great for me. I don't know why Apple decided to delay it.

But anyway...

Since the feature was removed my iPad and iPhone have completed several iCloud backups, but have not resumed backing up messages like Apple said it should in the release notes.

The iCloud backups for each device are just a few gigs, while my messages archive is nearly 20 gigs, so it's clearly not being included.

Before iOS 11, messages were backed up separately by both the iPad and iPhone (and consequently used much more iCloud storage).

Is this happening to anyone else?

 

[Archer1778]

This was removed for beta 5... Apparently will return in a later iOS update...

 

[Brookzy]

This was removed for beta 5... Apparently will return in a later iOS update...

*facepalm*

Read again. Messages in iCloud and iCloud messages backup are completely different things, FYI.

 

[Archer1778]

Ah gotcha, my apologies... Here I thought I was being super helpful! When I had the bug of the storage being ate up by the system memory, I noticed that my messages did not restore either and chalked it up to beta usage...

 

[Brookzy]

Ah gotcha, my apologies... Here I thought I was being super helpful! When I had the bug of the storage being ate up by the system memory, I noticed that my messages did not restore either and chalked it up to beta usage...

No worries. I've noticed that the now-removed Messages in iCloud is still using storage in my iCloud settings. I may try to delete that and see what happens.

 

[Broken Hope]

Messages in iCloud was working great for me. I don't know why Apple decided to delay it.

There were plenty of people, myself included that Messages in iCloud did nothing, you clicked sync, it finished a few seconds later and then the last sync time never updated.

They can't roll out a feature that has the potential to mess with people's messages if it's not 100% reliable for everyone.

 

[Brookzy]

Tried deleting the messages component of my iCloud storage, only to get a "turning off" spinning wheel for hours (I left it overnight).

Sigh, I suppose I should have disabled it before upgrading to beta 5! Hopefully my messages are still being backed up somehow.

 

[Brookzy]

Beta 6 now out and there is still no way to delete the previously uploaded Messages in iCloud data.

I can't be the only one with this problem, surely!

 

[Donfor39]

I don’t get messages in cloud at all since pb3 approx.

 

[Brookzy]

I don’t get messages in cloud at all since pb3 approx.

Did you ever use it?

Did the uploaded messages automatically delete after beta 3?

 

[Donfor39]

Did you ever use it?

Did the uploaded messages automatically delete after beta 3?

I did use it for a short time when the top of iCloud screen advised ‘your messages are being stored in the cloud or iCloud not certain exact message .

I’ve since searched various settings for iCloud storage and the option is since gone past 2Pbs

 

[Brookzy]

I did use it for a short time when the top of iCloud screen advised ‘your messages are being stored in the cloud or iCloud not certain exact message .

I’ve since searched various settings for iCloud storage and the option is since gone past 2Pbs

And is it no longer taking up any iCloud storage? You can tell from the Manage Storage pane in Settings on an iOS device. As you can see in my screenshot below, Messages remains listed for me and is using a lot of storage.

 

[Donfor39]

And is it no longer taking up any iCloud storage? You can tell from the Manage Storage pane in Settings on an iOS device. As you can see in my screenshot below, Messages remains listed for me and is using a lot of storage.

View attachment 713098

No

This is a short video screenshot take - no messages tab at all

 

[soulsteelgray]

And is it no longer taking up any iCloud storage? You can tell from the Manage Storage pane in Settings on an iOS device. As you can see in my screenshot below, Messages remains listed for me and is using a lot of storage.

View attachment 713098

You mentioned earlier you tried to delete iMessage from iCloud in beta 5. Have you tried in beta 6? I see a Disable and Delete button when I tap into Messages under iCloud Storage; is that the aforementioned delete button?

 

[Brookzy]

View attachment 713102 View attachment 713102

No

This is a short video screenshot take - no messages tab at all

Thanks for the info - but check the Manage Storage tab!

You mentioned earlier you tried to delete iMessage from iCloud in beta 5. Have you tried in beta 6? I see a Disable and Delete button when I tap into Messages under iCloud Storage; is that the aforementioned delete button?

Yeah I mentioned above that it’s continuing in beta 6, the “Turning off...” wheel just hangs forever. I’ve filed a bug with Apple. Really annoying that none of my messages seem to be getting backed up in the meantime. Hope my phone doesn’t get stolen!

 

[Donfor39]

Thanks for the info - but check the Manage Storage tab!

Which I did... poor video photo editing skills

 

[Brookzy]

Which I did... poor video photo editing skills

None of your images show the Manage Storage pane, but anyway.

Hopefully this will get fixed in the next beta.

 

[skinned66]

I’m guessing the iPad doesn’t have this option? (Beta 6)

 

[Brookzy]

I’m guessing the iPad doesn’t have this option? (Beta 6)

View attachment 713210

That's the option I've been trying to use on both my iPad and iPhone on beta 6, but after tapping "Disable and Delete" I just get this loading wheel spinning for hours and hours (I left it overnight), and it never finishes.

 

[Donfor39]

I’m guessing the iPad doesn’t have this option? (Beta 6)

Thanks for adding the missing bit

View attachment 713210

 

[KUKitch]

And is it no longer taking up any iCloud storage? You can tell from the Manage Storage pane in Settings on an iOS device. As you can see in my screenshot below, Messages remains listed for me and is using a lot of storage.

View attachment 713098

That's how mine looks as well (though my backup is only 1.9 GB)

 

[skinned66]

That's the option I've been trying to use on both my iPad and iPhone on beta 6, but after tapping "Disable and Delete" I just get this loading wheel spinning for hours and hours (I left it overnight), and it never finishes.

View attachment 713212

Ok let's see how I make out. Despite my previous screenshot saying I had "Zero KB" I actually have 374.8MB - that was bug because the same screen is now giving me a readout.

5.76GB is quite a bit of data. I'm not sure how they store messages on the cloud. If they're stored as multiple files and not in a glob/DB format that could take a long time. Don't forget that's also data you have to pull down and merge to store locally.

EDIT: Ok, iCloud storage list says messages is 547.2MB but when I go into messages it says 374.8MB. I guess we'll wait and see if they both zero out or not.

 

[Brookzy]

Ok let's see how I make out. Despite my previous screenshot saying I had "Zero KB" I actually have 374.8MB - that was bug because the same screen is now giving me a readout.

5.76GB is quite a bit of data. I'm not sure how they store messages on the cloud. If they're stored as multiple files and not in a glob/DB format that could take a long time. Don't forget that's also data you have to pull down and merge to store locally.

Mine often says Zero KB too as a glitch. 5.76GB is also wrong, on the previous pane it says more than 18 GB. Either way:

• It shouldn't have to download the data because it has not been deleted locally.
• I left it on that spinning wheel state for a full eight hours, overnight, on charge, connected to a 250 Mbps Wi-Fi connection. Even if it was 18 gigs it shouldn't have taken that long. I doubt it was doing anything at all, it was just hanging.

 

[skinned66]

It shouldn't have to download the data because it has not been deleted locally.

Can you be absolutely sure of that? I know I'm not. I haven't looked into availability of any documentation on the mechanism, full disclosure.

In any case it does sound like it should have finished all in all based on your situation.
Mine is still going BTW. There's always the possibility we might be borked until we're at least out of beta.

 

[Brookzy]

Can you be absolutely sure of that?

I can't be sure, maybe you're right and it does have to re-download. But that seems absurd to me when the data is already there, and when most iPhone users won't have enough free storage to temporarily double-store their messages, thus making it impossible for them to turn this feature off.

There's always the possibility we might be borked until we're at least out of beta.

Probably. I'm just pissed off because this feature was working perfectly for me across several devices. Deleting messages, changing Do Not Disturb settings, and so on all synchronised immediately and correctly. It was great. But because some people had issues (not that I know who these people are because I've seen very very few complaints!) they have removed it in a way that completely ****s over everyone who used it without issue.

It was also the only reason I bothered trying out iOS 11 beta! Doh!