iOS 26 - iMessages no longer sync to iCloud

FIXED!!!! Problem with iMessages not syncing from iCloud after iOS 26 update RESOLVED!

Had the same problem as everyone else here. Significant number of messages were not syncing back from iCloud to my devices after iOS 26 update. Attempted every fix, multiple restarts, forced sync, full uninterrupted syncs overnight (similar to what ‘seanfromreston’ had suggested), and everything failed. Called Apple multiple times. Apparently they are aware of the issue for many people. Waited until the 26.1 update. That didn’t fix it either. Finally, called Apple again to escalate to engineers and Kathy (senior advisor) stumbled on the FIX!

Go to SETTINGS > APPS > MESSAGES > SCREEN UNKNOWN SENDERS. Toggle this to ON. Allow Notifications should read ‘Time Sensitive’. Text Message Filter should read ‘None’.

Give it 2 minutes and all iMessages will appear (at least for me they did). Incredible! Not sure why this setting changed everything, but may have something to do with how contacts are saved (if using different emails from main Apple email to save contacts). Either way, it worked. Thankful to have all my messages back. Hope this helps you guys!

So I rebooted my phone and then was able to hit sync button again. After about 30 minutes it says “Synced 9/16/25” which is when I upgraded to iOS 26. However I have searching and everything working again so I am happy. It’ll get fixed in 26.0.1 I assume.

FIXED!!!! READ THIS!! > iMessages not syncing after iOS26 update!

I had the same problem with iMessages not syncing from iCloud to my devices since the iOS26 update. I tried the same fix as ‘seanfromreston’, but this did not work either. Thankfully, Kathy (service advisor at Apple) stumbled on the ACTUAL fix.

Go to SETTINGS > APPS > MESSAGES > SCREEN UNKNOWN SENDERS. Toggle this to ON. Allow Notifications should read ‘Time Sensitive’. Text Message Filter should read ‘None’.

All of my iMessages prior to the update populated within 2 minutes. Unsure why this fixed it, but may have something to do with how contacts are saved. Hope this helps you guys!

SOLVED: All you have to do is go to settings>Apps> Messages and leave Screen Unknown Senders and Filter Spam to ON. Sync iMessage again under iCloud and all your messages will sync properly now on all your devices.

I am intrigued how you can Force a Sync! I have never come across that.

On both iPhones, Settings, [tap your name], iCloud, see all, make sure “Messages in icloud” is turned on.

I am pleased you do not share an Apple ID account, that would complicate matters.

So I did a simple reboot of my phone and now my messages app allows searching and everything again. Then I came back to same menu and was able to click sync forcefully and now I have a screen that’s slightly different. Will report back tomorrow morning to see if it ever finishes.

[Edited by Moderator]

Having the same issue. Got the phone last week, have spent hours on the phone with tech support, eventually got transferred to a senior engineer. I have followed all their steps and nothing has worked. Reset network settings, turn sync on and off multiple times. Still gets stuck and never finishes. I don’t think they have a fix for it, or know what’s causing it.

I’m having the same issue. My iPhone had all messages downloaded before update to iOS26 and now it’s been stuck since the 15. I have a VERY larger iCloud messages library (270GB) but it’s been on charge and I tried to force sync and it’s not working.

The app doesn’t allow searching or anything because sync is still in progress making the messages app very hard to use.

[Edited by Moderator]

I’m having an issue where my iMessages aren’t syncing but if I go to the contact and hit the message bubble it pops up with all the past messages. Do you think your solution for yours would work? I spent 4 hours at apple today and they couldn’t figure it out. It’s showing syncing paused, maybe let it finish overnight or today, once it’s done let it dot it I’ve right? I have my mom text that I’d like to keep given she passed away and it’s picking and choosing what’s showing up on my phone. I can get to her texts how I mentioned above but would like to not have to do that. I also use my phone for my business and it can’t see past numbers that I didn’t save the contact nor even contacts that I have saved numbers for.

You’re welcome!! So happy to hear it!! And yeah, things can get a little screwy when all of your devices don’t have the same settings. I’ve been receiving word from several others that it worked for them as well. Wish I knew how to boost the reply so everyone struggling can see it haha. All the best!

are you suggesting that screen unknown senders should be a permanent setting?

Possibly it splits the storage, the common theme of this thread is users with a million, two million iMessages, hundreds of GB storage, quite frankly unbelievable waste of money and storage. Without some reduction the remedy may come back when texts reach three or four million?

Maybe a better setting is save messages for 1 year instead of forever?

Ah ok, a sync request, forcing it was probably an overstatement. And it was sync’d earlier. So why do you say it has not sync’d?

I am also having this exact issue and my screen looks exactly the same with the "sync now" greyed out.