iCloud Messages Returns to iOS in First Beta of iOS 11.3 - MacRumors
Skip to Content

iCloud Messages Returns to iOS in First Beta of iOS 11.3

Apple in iOS 11 promised a new Messages in iCloud feature that will allow customers to save their iMessages in iCloud and sync them across devices. Messages in iCloud was pulled from iOS 11 during the beta testing period, with Apple promising to reintroduce it at a later date.

It was not clear if and when the feature was actually going to be implemented, though, as Apple stripped all mentions of it from the iOS 11 website.

messagesonicloud
As of iOS 11.3, Messages in iCloud is back and is available for "testing and evaluation purposes," marking the official return of the feature. According to Apple's release notes, once iOS 11.3 beta 1 is installed, Messages will prompt users to turn on Messages in the Cloud when it is first launched.

Messages in the Cloud is automatically enabled for users who have two-factor authentication and iCloud Backup enabled, says Apple.

The new Messages in iCloud feature will be a welcome change for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users who prefer not to delete their messages. Over the course of several years, Messages can take up a lot of space. That space can now be freed up with the bulk of older messages stored directly in iCloud rather than on-device.

Related Forum: iOS 11

Popular Stories

Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

11 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 18 Pro

Monday May 11, 2026 9:01 am PDT by
We're only four months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a sea change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year, adopting a...
iOS 26

iOS 26.5 Features: Everything New in iOS 26.5

Monday May 11, 2026 5:09 pm PDT by
Apple released iOS 26.5 after a few months of beta testing, and while it doesn't have the Siri features we were hoping for since those are being held until iOS 27, there are a handful of useful changes worth knowing about. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. End-to-End Encryption for RCS Support for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and...
General Apps Reddit Feature

Reddit Starts Blocking Mobile Website, Pushing Users to App Instead

Monday May 11, 2026 6:10 am PDT by
Social network Reddit recently began blocking mobile visitors to its website while pushing them to download the official Reddit app, and it's fair to say that the move is not going down well with users. If you visit reddit.com on your iPhone today, you may see a new popup that can't be dismissed, asking you to "get the app to keep using Reddit." A Reddit spokesperson told Ars Technica...

Top Rated Comments

Return Zero Avatar
108 months ago
I'm so excited... for people to stop whining about this.
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Brookzy Avatar
108 months ago
Do messages count against your 5GB of iCloud space? I'm assuming they do.
Yes, but if you are already using iCloud Backup on your iOS devices you can actually save a lot of space because your messages are only stored in iCloud once, rather than backed-up from each device separately.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
108 months ago
Embarrassingly late.
Sigh. No one is ever happy about anything.

Possibly now the masses can find something out to whine, stamp their feet and hold their breath until they have it their way. I'm going to assume it came late because it wasn't ready and instead of releasing it in a buggy state they held it back.

You can breathe now and move on with your lives.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ghostface147 Avatar
108 months ago
Woohoo! Also, since some people have gigs of messages, why not also increase your default iCloud storage space? 15 gigs would be nice.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
108 months ago
Im baffled too. What value does this actually add other than allowing a 3rd party to access your "encrypted" messages stored on iCloud?
I assume that you could set an iPhone up as new, and still get your messages back via iCloud sync. I find, this is often the thing people are worried about the most, when asked to setup as new.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jax44 Avatar
108 months ago
Why the hell would you want to keep your messages for ten years? Don't understand this. I delete all my messages daily.
I build houses. I often text clients to get an ok on something or other and like having a record. Just one of many reasons I like to keep texts.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)