Messages not searchable on phone, but can on ipad

Question

Level 1

4 points

Messages not searchable on phone, but can on ipad

I have the same iCloud account on my ipad and iPhone. If I search for messages on my iPhone, it says the messages are indexing and iCloud sync is paused. If I search for those same messages on my ipad, they show up. How can I fix it so the messages are searchable on my iPhone? I am out of iCloud storage, but I’m not sure why being out of storage on my iPhone wouldn’t allow me to search them, but also being out on my ipad (hence the same account) I can search them. I’m not sure if that’s related. Any ideas/fixes for this issue?

iPhone 13, iOS 26

Posted on Nov 27, 2025 6:29 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Nov 28, 2025 5:08 AM in response to Delijohnson

Your iPhone cannot search Messages because indexing paused due to full iCloud storage. Your iPad works because its index was completed earlier. To fix this: free at least 500MB of iCloud space, toggle Messages in iCloud off/on, rebuild Spotlight’s index, reset network settings, and leave the phone plugged in with Messages open. iOS 26.2 fully fixes the Messages search bug.

Reply