How to bulk delete messages on Android

Back before the likes of WhatsApp, Signal, and Facebook Messenger hijacked textual communication, SMS inboxes used to be an exciting place. With all our friends and loved ones texting, we couldn’t get enough of our messaging apps. After the messenger revolution, SMS apps, quite naturally, lost their charm. They are now primarily used by carriers and other service providers to push promotional or borderline spam messages.

You could straight up ignore these messages and try to forget they exist. But every time a new message pushes through, you are involuntarily reminded of the hundreds or even thousand unread messages sitting in your inbox. If you happen to have obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you could find so many useless unread messages quite unsettling.

You can resolve the situation in one of two ways — mark all of them as read or delete all of them at once. In this piece, we are looking for a more permanent solution, so let’s learn how to delete a bunch of annoying messages at once.

Using Samsung Messages app

Samsung’s native messaging app ticks all the right boxes, emerging as one of the most dependable messaging applications. If you happen to be a Samsung smartphone owner, you probably won’t find it necessary to look for a third-party application, as the native app itself provides pretty much all you could as for.

As expected, bulk deleting is supported by the Samsung Messages app, and it’s as straightforward as you’d like.

Step 1: Open the Samsung Messages app.

Step 2: Make sure it’s set as your default messaging app.

Step 3: Press and hold a message and the option to select multiple messages would be unlocked.

Step 4: Choose multiple or select All.

Step 5: Tap on Delete and confirm.

Using Google Messages

Google Messages doesn’t necessarily turn heads with its UI or sleek appearance. But it certainly has an upper hand over its competitors’ thanks to the introduction of Rich Communication Services (RCS). Google Messages has managed to leap over the carrier-differences with its implementation of RCS, delivering the “revolutionary” service to every user who opts to install the Google Messages application. Like Samsung’s native messaging app, Google Messages, too, supports bulk deletion.

Step 1: Open the Google Messages app.

Step 2: Tap and hold on to a conversation you wish to delete.

Step 3: When the option unlocks, select multiple messages.

Step 4: Tap on the bin icon at the top-right corner.

Step 5: Confirm by tapping on Delete.

Using OnePlus Messages app

OnePlus has steadily established itself as one of the leading smartphone manufacturers in the world. The Chinese OEM may not yet have a strong foothold in the United States, but in India and other Asian markets, it’s arguably the most prominent presence in the premium segment. OnePlus has a reputation for delivering a near-stock Android experience, with some added bells and whistles. The OnePlus messaging app isn’t necessarily a head-turner, but it does get the job done without breaking a sweat.

The app supports bulk deletion and the process is almost identical to the two mentioned above.

Step 1: Open the Messages app on your OnePlus device.

Step 2: Press and hold a message you want to delete.

Step 3: The option to delete multiple messages at once would be unlocked.

Step 4: Check the little box at the top to select all messages or manually select multiple messages.

Step 5: Tap on the recycle bin icon at the top-right corner and confirm.

Using Microsoft SMS Organizer

The Microsoft SMS Organizer may not be as popular as the ones discussed above, but it may very well be one of the most useful ones. It organizes your incoming messages in different categories — Personal, Transactions, and Promotions. So, it’s ultimately easier for you to pick the conversations you want to get rid of.

Here’s how to delete multiple conversations at once in the Microsoft SMS Organizer application.

Step 1: Open the Microsoft SMS Organizer app.

Step 2: Tap and hold a conversation you want to delete.

Step 3: When the option unlocks, tap on the little box icon to select all messages at once.

Step 4: Else pick multiple messages and tap on the Delete icon.

Step 5: Confirm.

Using Gather Media’s Messages app

The Messages app by Gather Media is another potent native messaging app alternative. It has a sophisticated yet simplified user interface, offers a bunch of color options, dons the ever-pleasing Material Design, and comes fully equipped with a soothing Dark Mode. It doesn’t have many standout features like Google and Microsoft’s offerings, but it still is quite a robust app on its own.

Here’s how to delete multiple messages at once in the app:

Step 1: Open the Messages app.

Step 2: Tap and hold a conversation.

Step 3: The option to select multiple messages would be unlocked.

Step 4: After selecting, tap on the recycle bin icon at the top-right.

Step 5: Confirm your action by tapping Yes.


