Pruning SMS conversations

[ecksit]

So I'm a pretty heavy texter, and I noticed when a conversation with someone reaches a few hundred messages it slows down a LOT. If someone sends me a text it can take anywhere from 10-15 seconds just to open it.

Is there a way, or an app, that can let me delete older messages, or possibly auto delete them over time? I don't want to delete the entire conversation, but I do want to delete older messages so it doesn't take so long to load.

 

[Sebastianraven]

10-15 secs seems like a long time. I know mine has slowed down a bit from when I first got it, but I also have a few programs running in the background that slow it down.

Also, deleting a thread in your SMS will help. If you want, you can delete one message at a time w/in a conversation, but that could take a long time.

 

[pogo1289]

One good tip is to use Handcent, it keeps only a few messages qued up at any time so it loads very quickly and you still have access to all of your messages via a "Show Earlier" button. But what we really need is someone to hack the apk or find a way to install the stock one from the Droid, N1, Etc. so we can delete after a certain number. I currently have somewhere in the vicinity of 2500 sms from my girlfriend and probably another 1500 from various other people and its a little annoying to have to manually delete messages. Kinda seems like HTC screwed the pooch a little on this one.

 

[rpfarrah]

I can't imagine a need for saving text messages. FWIW, my more important stuff is documented through email which is eventually saved on the pc - keeps my phone clean.

 

[Qazme]

I can't imagine a need for saving text messages. FWIW, my more important stuff is documented through email which is eventually saved on the pc - keeps my phone clean.

Yeah I don't understand people who keep 100+ im's per conversation. But he did say he was a heavy text messager. On the norm I keep my conversations for a day so I can remind myself what is being discussed back and forth. The next day I delete the entire thread, but I normally handle most of my stuff through GTalk or email so the number of SMS's isn't a huge issue for me.

 

[gigatigga]

With a combination of handcent and an app called SMS Backup i am pretty happy. SMS Backup sends all of your texts to a label in gmail called SMS. every single one! So you can delete the conversations and not worry about loosing anything.

 

[Genetic_Bloom]

In stock Android there's a way so I can't imagine they would take it out for sense. Go to the messaging app and go into the settings, there should be something for thread length or something of the sort. The default is 200 and you can change it to whatever you want, I have mine set at 100.

 

[Qazme]

There are no settings for that, that I can find. But I think on this phone androids SMS app has been replaced with an HTC app.

 

[pogo1289]

It has been replaced. There is no option to delete past a certain number in a thread. I downloaded Message Cleanup last night and it works wonders. Its $2.45 and it can delete by age, number, or keep a certain number from each person. There is a free version called Delete Old Messages that allows you to auto delete after a certain age.

 

[anthonym83]

With a combination of handcent and an app called SMS Backup i am pretty happy. SMS Backup sends all of your texts to a label in gmail called SMS. every single one! So you can delete the conversations and not worry about loosing anything.

This seems exactly like what I need. I'm also a very heavy texter and often want to keep either review how a conversation progressed (usually for girls) or need proof of what exact words were said (usually for work).

I've had the phone for less than a week and already at 150 texts for my largest thread. When I bought it, for some reason i thought it would let me archive the texts too similar to gmail, so not every single thread would stay in my inbox (I don't alway want every thread readily available with i'm showing someone the phone and text features ..which includes inbox with recent message threads).


Another negative is that it shows the first line of text message content even when the phone is locked. I lock it for privacy...yet new texts aren't private.

 

[anthonym83]

With a combination of handcent and an app called SMS Backup i am pretty happy. SMS Backup sends all of your texts to a label in gmail called SMS. every single one! So you can delete the conversations and not worry about loosing anything.

SMS Backup doesn't let your restore texts, though, correct?