How to prevent other iMessage users from editing or taking away the messages they send you

Apple is adding controversial features to its Messages app that allow you to edit or delete any iMessage you send in a conversation. You can only use them to fix autocorrect crashes or return something you accidentally submitted, but others may have malicious intent. Fortunately, there are several ways to protect yourself from villains and nefarious scammers.

Even if you’re not worried about gaslighting, harassment, bullying, or any other possible negative aspects, you might still find out what one of your friends said before they edited or deleted a post. Unlike other messaging clients with similar features such as Messenger, Signal, Snapchat, Telegram and WhatsApp, there are easy ways to see everything that has been edited or deleted.

Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as flipping a simple toggle in iPhone, iPad, or Mac settings. Apple hasn’t included a way to turn off the new “Edit”or “Undo Send”options in the Messages app. However, getting around this limitation is not so difficult.

Use a device with an older operating system

This is probably the easiest and most discrete option, and makes sense if you have an additional Apple device that you don’t use very often. Any device that has one of the following versions of the software installed will be able to see the original messages, unaltered or deleted.

• iOS 15 or below (for iPhone, iPod touch)
• iPadOS 15 or below (for iPad)
• macOS 12 Monterey or below (for Mac)

When a contact edits iMessage from their side (left screenshot below), you’ll only see the corrected version on iOS 16, iPadOS 16, or macOS 13 Ventura (middle screenshot below). However, on iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or macOS 12, you’ll see the original message followed by a separate change message (right screenshot below).

And when a contact unsends an iMessage they sent you, you’ll see “[Contact Name] didn’t send a message”instead of the original message in iOS 16, iPadOS 16, or macOS 13 Ventura (middle screenshot below). However, the message remains on iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or macOS 12 (right screenshot below). The sender will receive a notification that “[your name] may still see the message on devices where the software has not been updated”(left screenshot below), which may discourage them from trying to delete anything in the future.

So if you have an old iPhone that you didn’t turn in, an iPad that you only use occasionally, or a Mac that you can’t upgrade to Ventura, it might be a good idea to leave them with iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or macOS 12 Monterey so you can always see changes to iMessage conversations, even if you later access your device.

Note that in order to do this, you’ll need to make sure Messages is turned on for iCloud so that all of your messages are synced across your iCloud connected devices. According to Apple, you also need to enable iCloud Keychain and two-factor authentication on your Apple ID to enable Messages in iCloud.

Disable iMessage and use only SMS

This is the most inconvenient option, since all the iMessage features you love will be useless to you. If you’re willing to forego various iMessage features like screen effects and rich collaboration to see green instead of blue bubbles, it’s worth at least giving it a try.

To disable iMessage on your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings -> Messages, then turn off the “iMessage”toggle. This won’t delete your past iMessage conversations, but all future messages you send and receive will be SMS or MMS messages.

On your Mac, open the Messages app, then use the keyboard shortcut Command-, or click Messages in the menu bar and choose Preferences. Then select “Settings”from the “iMessage”tab and completely “Sign out”. You can also just uncheck your phone number to stop receiving iMessages on your Mac and choose an email address to start new iMessage chats with, but signing out is probably easier.

If iMessage is turned off on all your devices, any iMessage you send will be received as an SMS or MMS message over your cellular network. They will count towards your text permission, if you have one. Since it becomes an SMS or MMS, it will appear as such on the sender’s device. Text messages can’t be edited or unsent like in iMessage, so you’ll never have to worry about the new Edit and Unsend features in iOS 16, iPadOS 16, or macOS 13 Ventura.