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

Apple Event Logo

Apple's Next Era Begins September 1

Thursday May 7, 2026 10:36 am PDT by
Apple recently announced that Tim Cook will be stepping down as CEO later this year, after 15 years of leading the company. Effective September 1, Apple's hardware engineering chief John Ternus will become the company's next CEO, while Cook will become executive chairman of Apple's board of directors. In his new role, Apple said Cook will assist with "certain aspects" of the company,...
Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro Launching in September With These 10 New Features

Saturday May 9, 2026 6:03 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not launching until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. It was initially reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models would have fully under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. However, the latest rumors indicate that only one Face ID component will be moved under the...
Apple Watch Series 10 Jet Black Touch ID

Apple Watch Series 12 and watchOS 27: What to Expect Later This Year

Friday May 8, 2026 2:07 pm PDT by
While not too much has been reported about the next Apple Watch models, there are a few rumors about potential design changes and watchOS 27 features. Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4 models are expected to be released in September, and we have outlined some of the key rumored hardware and software changes below. A new Apple Watch SE is not expected this year, as that model was...

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)