Let’s discuss some of the tips and tricks you can use to hide text messages on iPhone so no one can sabotage your privacy intentionally or unintentionally. Privacy is a big concern especially when you expect to receive some private text messages on your iPhone.
We all get text message notifications on lock screen as well and though it’s a great convenience, in some situations it becomes a huge inconvenience as well. But it’s not actually difficult to hide text messages on iPhone to appear on lock screen. You just have to change some of the settings.
Hide Text Messages on iPhone from Settings app
Using Settings app, you can configure SMS and iMessage settings of your iPhone such that no one is be able to see what message you received. When you get an SMS or iMessage notification on lock screen, an excerpt or summary of the message also accompanies the alert.
Now this summary is only a few words long but most of the times it’s enough to give away what the message is about. Also, iPhone gives you the facility of quick reply on lock screen as well. Just swipe the notification left and you’ll be able to respond to the message.
So, basically with an alert for a private text message on iPhone lock screen, your friend with your iPhone in his or her hand can pretty much get the gist of the message. Moreover, he or she can respond to it without your permission as well. All in good humor, but the jokes on you, right!
The solution is luckily simple and straightforward. Go to Settings > Notifications > Messages and under the ‘Include’ section you will find ‘Show Previews.’ You’ll see that it is set ‘On’ by default. Swipe it to ‘Off’ and you won’t receive preview with alerts for text messages on iPhone lock screen.
Keep in mind though that this won’t stop notifications for text message on your iPhone lock screen. Only the alert won’t be accompanied with a preview anymore.
Hide notifications for Private Text Messages on iPhone Lock Screen
If you’re still facing problems due to text message alerts on your iPhone lock screen, you can stop the notifications altogether. Find Messages app in your Settings app on iPhone and scroll down to ‘Show on lock screen’ and turn it ‘Off.’ You also need to disable the ‘Badge App Icon’ to disable alerts and hide your text messages on iPhone lock screen.
Hide text messages from iPhone Messages App
If disabling notifications isn’t enough for your privacy needs, you’ll have to use a Cydia tweak to hide your private text message on iPhone. The tweak that we’re going to discuss will let you choose which text messages and conversations to hide right from the Messages app.
HiddenConvos: Cydia tweak to hide text messages on iPhone
HiddenConvos is a tweak for jailbroken devices and it lets you choose your private text messages in iPhone stock Messages app. It hides your private text messages right from the messages app so even if someone has access to your device beyond the lock screen, they won’t be able to see the conversation at all.
- Launch Cydia and install HiddenConvos.
- Go to Messages app and swipe a conversation left to hide it.
- You will see an additional button ‘Hide’ alongside ‘Delete.’
- Tap ‘Hide’ to hide text messages from your iPhone Messages App.
Unhide private text messages on iPhone
- Tap Edit in Message app.
- Find ‘Unhide All’ button on the top right corner.
- Tap it and all the private text messages will be visible again.
Pro (paid) version is also available with additional features such as unhide only one private text message conversation instead of all at once, change color of hide button, right swipe or force click to hide text messages on iPhone, and much more.
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