Update: The SMS Preview privacy issue is now resolved as of the iPhone 3.0 software update.
In my original iPhone review, I complained about having little privacy on the iPhone when receiving incoming text messages.
When you receive an SMS message on your iPhone, a preview of the message content pops up on the screen, and you can choose to either view it or ignore it. While this “SMS Preview” feature may be very convenient, it could be troublesome if a friend or family member is playing with your cool new gadget and a message you’d rather have remained private pops up on your screen — ouch!
Well today I was browsing through the iPhone Settings menu, and I came across a “Show SMS Preview†ON/OFF button. The only problem is, the option to turn off SMS Preview is available only when you set a Passcode Lock for your iPhone via Settings >> General >> Passcode Lock.
Since I’d rather not have to deal with entering a password every time I want to use my phone, I set the Require Passcode field to “After 1 hour,†so that I’ll only have to enter it at most once an hour. Really, though, I rarely go 60 minutes without using my iPhone for something, so I’m hardly ever prompted for a Passcode.
Now when I receive a text message, the iPhone displays the name of the sender and “Text Message,” rather than an excerpt of the message content.
I’m glad to have discovered this option, but I would really like to be able to turn off SMS Previews on the iPhone without having to set a Passcode Lock. What about you?
New: Has SMS Preview gotten you into trouble? Share your awkward or embarrassing stories here.
Update: A third-party app called Caterpillar solves iPhone’s SMS privacy issue. Click to read my review of the Caterpillar app’s Privacy feature.
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and it really sucks that you lost you g/f over this bill…u should complain to Apple
i been trying to set my messages to private since i got the 3g, yesterday, i’ve tried everything that everyone is saying but nothing just works, i want my messages to always be private, i dont have anything to hide i just dont want everybody able to just look at my stuff. this phone really should have something as simple as a privacy mode that stays on. its supposed to be the best phone, but it has none of the REALLY important stuff like all other phones
holy crap you people are fricken morons. IF YOU DONT WANT TO CAUGHT THEN DONT DO IT IN THE FIRST PLACE!
There is NO INVASION OF PRIVACY because apple isn’t tapping into your phone.
You say not having a SMS preview on/off function is privacy invasion.
Hello dip shits…are you on drugs for fucks sake you’re obviously getting up to no good because you want to hide your secrets.
And I bet you’re all yanks too. So damn paranoid.
Think about what you’re doing BEFORE you blame someone or something, like the iPhone, or apple.
Show some respect for the amazing technology created by apple…for people like you.
AND GET OVER IT AND GET A FUCKING LIFE LOSERS.
I swear to god I just lost my girlfriend over this stupid SMS preview.
Brutal.
I think safeword has come up with the best short term solution! But let’s hope Apple hurry up and release an update to address this shortcoming – soon!
When someone wants to see your phone, or if it’s laying around, set the phone to airplane mode. This will prolong data until you get out of airplane mode. This is the best work around I can think of at this time… I feel you guys, trust me, this option can screw up alot of relationships.. Honestly, this is a real big problem and issue.. they need to fix this.. I paid alot of money for this phone.. I let my blackberry go for this phone.. Please fix this..
I change all my gf’s names to guy’s names + turn preview off.
Password is always on after lock.
Usually something wrong with my phone when people want to see pics. Haven’t had an embarrassing moment yet. Fingers crossed.
I dont want nothing to show up at all…IM a PIMP i cant afford for any names to pop up at all…someone help ya boy out
to clarify – Got the Exchange mail to work, however for security purposes, the phone mandates you set a passcode to operate the phone. The swap bar to open requires the passcode. Well I quickly got rid of my corporate Exchange mailbox. Who needs that pain to use the phone, six characters, including number and special character
The Passcode is alo mandatory for Exchange. That’s understandable, but a real pain every time you use the iPhone. Couldn’t the passcode be set to certain areas, like mail, or SMS?
Chris wrote: “Since I’d rather not have to deal with entering a password every time I want to use my phone. . .”
You could also try setting the password to 0000, or something similar that you can enter really quickly.
Jackie wrote: “The phone is so expensive you would think that it would have all the little think that other phones have like, privacy settings and speed dial for those number you use all the time.”
Thats what the “favorites” tab is for when you open the phone application. You can easily add/delete numbers as you need to and dial them with one touch.
I agree, Patrick. Like I mentioned in the article, there is the Caterpillar app which works really well for making text messages private.
But that is for a jailbroken iPhone. Maybe we’ll see an official app for this in the App Store next month. Thanks for your comment.
Yes you would think that people would want practical stuff on the iphone like this and privacy from email and photos also… I cant find a reason why no one is putting someting out… IT would sell big bucks..
the sms preview off function is only effective before you enter your passcode…it doesnt work when you are using the phone or at the home screen which is completley pointless because if I dont want privacy when my phone is lying around with a passcode… I also want privacy when it is in use.
[...] owners may want to change their SMS preview settings to make incoming text messaging more private. Apple iPhone Review has instructions on how to do [...]
Make sure the SMS preview is turned off.
Then go to General/settings/reset/reset network settings……………reset
It should work now
Thanks for summarizing, Rochelle
Sorry guys, just made it more easy to read
Steps To Disable SMS Preview
1. Go to the Settings Menu
2. Click on General (Diagram 1.0)
3. Click on the Passcode Lock Menu
4. If you have not enabled the Passcode Lock function, then you need to enable it by entering the desired Passcode number combination twice
5. Once the Passcode Lock has been engaged an extended menu will be displayed
Slide the SMS Preview switch to the OFF position to disable the SMS Preview function.
6. If you would like to disable SMS Preview but not have to enter a Passcode every time you use your iPhone, then a workaround is to set your iPhone to only require your Passcode after a given time, e.g. after 4 hours
The problem (not being able to turn off SMS notifications) becomes particularly annoying if one uses the iPhone to follow more than a few prolific people on services like Twitter. In this case, the issue isn’t a concern about privacy or a desire to hide anything from anyone. Instead the problem is that the iPhone becomes hostage to a constant stream of SMS notifications that interrupt every other use – music, email, calendar, whatever.
Diana, You are very high and mighty…. and self righteous, and not very polite.
What about when you kid brother is checking out your iphone and your glorious trustworthy boyfriend texts you with something personal and perhaps (dare i say) even naughty? Or do you have issues with that too?!
You shouldn’t judge people Diana.
Right now the only thing you can do is use Catapiler or what ever it is called to block SMS… And that is ok but I want to be able to block SMS and Email and SMS by putting in a passcode to be able to get to them. This way no one can see anything.. But for now Catapiler is the only one that is working for blocking SMS nothing more and to me that isnt worth the money yet it takes to pay for Catapiler.. IF you want to know anything else let me know
I want to disable all SMS notification. Period. How???
Just a Heads up!
On 1.1.3 even if you turn the SMS preview off, if ur phone is left on the home screen it still shows a preview. But if u put the phone on standby, eg. “Slide to Unlock” screen and you recieve a text msg, it will just show the sender. Apple really needs to fix this because it is a total invasion of privacy! almost as bad as a facebook inbox you forgot to log out of.
I had a Treo 650 that had this option. Best thing in the world when your seeing mutiple women…I mean…
My option to do this didnt work. I put in the code, changed the option to turn off sms preview and it still shows.. I have hard reset the phone and soft reset the phone and it still shows it when the message comes through.. can anyone help me.. I sent the note below to apple.. I think it would be great to have to put in a code (4) digits to get into my pictures or my sms or my mail.. that way it would keep them private.. I cant believe there hasnt been a hack or anything for this.
Can you please please please… put in a lock down like the passcode for every application.. like have a setting in General that says lockdown or what ever and have it be able to scroll through all the aps and be able to put a lock on it. So if I lend my phone to a freind to make a call he cant hit SMS icon and get right into my messages or main or photos.. this way if you want to lock it down (IF) you can simple put in your 4 digit code after you click on that app and then you get into it great… that would make the iphone so so so so much more private.. omg I would love it..
Patrick Conner
PLS!!!! I need this darn thing of,…, it is very frustrateing, just do like every other phone out there!!! it is simple,.. it is amazing how such a cool thing could be soo stupid!! I need privacy
Lighten up, Diana. We may also be planning a surprise party for the significant other.
maybe not…
Diana, Get a life, if we want to sneak around and hide or whatever its our business the issue been discussed here is privacy.
I think it’s about time Apple fix this.
[...] owners may want to change their SMS preview settings to make incoming text messaging more private. Apple iPhone Review has very well written instructions on how to do [...]
Okay. So I have read the issues with Text Privacy. For all of you that have the IPhone- Do you think it is worth the money. I am looking at the new 16g, just not 100% sure if I want to spend that cash. However, I need a new phone and I would like to get an Ipod or ITouch. Worth it or not??? Thx!!
I agree! I don’t like these feature. It’s not an issue of my girlfriend reading my texts, it’s an issue of people still being excited over my iPhone (like in my office where I work) and them reading things they really don’t have any business reading.
after you change your settings turn your phone off than back on
You’re right ci.
The dang texts still show in full preview if you have the phone in use even with the preview turned off.
So, if someone is using my phone they’re still gonna be able to read my business! Darn…
I totally agree with Christian! I actually already wrote in to Apple about this issue. I think a small icon appearing would be MUCH better, rather then showing who is texting or WHAT they are texting! That was something I immediately disliked. I hope that is in the next update!
Is there a way to contact Apple to let them know a ‘SMS preview off’ feature is something we want?
I agree with everyone. The most annoying thing is when one of my children pick up my phone and can see the entire conversation between me and whoever!!! i dont understand why there isnt an option to change the view of the conversation at least. Who cares about the ability to move the icons around. WHAT ABOUT PRIVACY!!!!!!
The phone is so expensive you would think that it would have all the little think that other phones have like, privacy settings and speed dial for those number you use all the time. There are many steps you have to go through just to dial. I kind of regret buying this phone.
personally I think the whole texting thing is evil. You people out there that have to lock your phones from people texting you shows you are not trusting to your wife/gf. I leave my phone out for my bf to look through because I have nothing to hide. If you have to lock your phone or keep texting secretive, obviously you have trust issues or you are sneaking around.
i find the MOST annoying thing and the best thing is having the whole conversastion saved. my boyfirend lives away so we contact alot by SMS. you can easily fill up your message box with whole conversations. i would love to be able to just delete some messages like “good night” and keep others like on all other phones.
does anyone have any idea if this is possible with deleting the WHOLE conversation???
thanx in advance.
C
This method only partially works…meaning if the phone is unlocked and in use you still get the full text message preview/notification
hey dude! how can i lock text message inbox ? as i do in my motorola… … is there any way to lock text message inbox and outbox without lock al the iphone aplications?
DEFINATELY they need to make the previw/name only/whatever pop-up go away, or give us the option to turn it completely off. Christian is def on target. Even with the message off, I still don’t need others knowing everyone who is texting me. That one time it happens and you don’t want it, you’ll become a believer.
the preview thing helps…
but really anyone can just accidentally
hit messages on the touch screen and read
a whole conversation with somebody
and i dont like to have to worry about that
i wish you could just lock one application like
on motoraolas i can just lock my texts
it woul dbe a lot easier
this is proving to be a particularly dangerous privacy issue…
I may be showing someone an internet page or map details and suddenly the partial message pops up with private details.
even tho the passlock can be turned on, it makes for a pain in the neck extra step when turning it on.
I really hope this gets attention in the next update and that only a small icon appears informing you that you have a message rather than posting it for the world to see when your showing off your iphone.
Nice find! Now if only they would add an option to turn off the ‘SMS sender preview’… Or ignore/deny incoming SMS from certain numbers? Then I would be happy. Just add all the numbers I don’t want to a contact named ‘Annoying Texters’, and set that one to ignore… Or perhaps, a nice feature would be a whitelist, where I add the numbers of people who I do want texting me, and deny the rest of the world! Peace at last! No more “Free Messages”!
Thanks for the tip!!!!
Sorry to hear that,it was working before the software update,I know because use to set the password feature before my wife started asking why I lock my phone ,lol . Well maybe Apple inc. will fix this problem along with other short comings of the iPhone if they ever get off there over priced lazy tails. Strike that last part,I don’t want them to think I’m slandering them, As if.
Thanks Dimitrios, but actually I tried that just now and the SMS Preview feature did not remain off.
There is a work around, enable the password lock feature then turn off preview. then turn off the password feature, the preview feature will remain off.