By Jenefey Aaron

Updated on 2025-10-29

100 % Helpful

Understanding Auto delete OTP Messages and How to Manage

By Jenefey Aaron

2025-10-29 / iPhone Backup

One-Time Passwords (OTPs) are commonly used for verifying identity during online transactions or logins. While they enhance security, OTP messages can accumulate over time, cluttering your inbox. Fortunately, both iPhone and Android devices offer features to automatically delete OTP messages after a set period, helping you maintain a cleaner and more organized messaging app.

This article will guide you through understanding Auto delete OTP messages and how to enable or disable auto-deletion features on your device.

Part 1: What Are OTP Messages?

Part 2: What Does Auto Delete OTP After 24 Hours Mean?

Part 3: How to Turn Off Auto Delete OTP Messages

Part 4: How to Set Auto Delete OTP Messages

Bonus Tip: Manage Your iPhone Messages and Data with Tenorshare iCareFone

FAQs about Auto Delete OTP

Part 1: What Are OTP Messages?

OTP messages contain temporary codes sent to your device to verify your identity during online activities. These codes are typically valid for a short duration and are used only once.

Common scenarios where OTPs are used include:

Logging into online banking apps
Verifying identity on e-commerce websites
Completing two-factor authentication for various services

Once used, these OTP messages no longer serve a purpose and can be safely deleted to free up space and reduce clutter in your messaging app.

Part 2: What Does Auto Delete OTP After 24 Hours Mean?

The option to " What does auto delete OTP after 24 hours mean " means that your device will automatically remove OTP messages from your inbox 24 hours after they are received. This feature ensures that outdated OTPs do not remain in your messaging app, keeping your inbox organized and reducing the risk of accidentally using expired codes.

It's important to note that this feature may not be available on all devices or messaging apps. Availability can depend on factors such as:

Device model and operating system version
Messaging app used (e.g., Google Messages, Samsung Messages)
Regional settings and carrier support

Part 3: How to Turn Off Auto Delete OTP Messages

While auto-delete for OTP messages is helpful for keeping your inbox clean, some users prefer to keep their verification codes for reference. You can easily turn off this feature on both iPhone and Android devices. Here’s how to turn off auto delete OTP messages iPhone:

Turn Off Auto Delete OTP Messages On iPhone

Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Scroll down and tap on Passwords.
Next, select Password Options under the Passwords section.
Look for the setting labeled Clean Up Automatically or Delete After Use under Verification Codes and toggle it off.

Once you turn this off, OTP messages will remain in your inbox even after they are used. This allows you to refer back to previous verification codes if needed.

Turn Off Auto Delete OTP Messages On Android

Open the Google Messages app on your Android device.
Tap on your profile icon in the top-right corner.
Select Messages settings from the menu.
Tap on Message organization.
Find Auto-delete OTPs after 24 hrs and toggle it off.

After completing these steps, OTP messages will no longer be automatically deleted on Android, giving you full control over how long these messages remain in your inbox.

Turning off auto-delete is useful if you need to retain codes for troubleshooting login issues or for reference later. It ensures that no OTP messages are removed without your consent.

Part 4: How to Set Auto Delete OTP Messages

Set Auto Delete OTP Messages in iPhone

On iPhones, iPads, and Macs running iOS 17/18, iPadOS 18, or macOS Sequoia/Sonoma, you can automatically delete OTP messages and verification codes after use.

Here are steps to how to enable auto delete OTP messages in iPhone:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad, or System Settings on your Mac.
On iOS 18, iPadOS 18, or macOS Sequoia, go to General and then AutoFill & Passwords.

On iOS 17, iPadOS 18, or macOS Sonoma, go to Passwords and then Password Options.

On iOS 18, iPadOS 18, or macOS Sequoia, turn on Delete After Use under the Verification Codes section. On iOS 17, iPadOS 18, or macOS Sonoma, turn on Clean Up Automatically.

The first time your device auto-deletes a verification code, a popup may appear asking, “Automatically Delete Verification Codes After Use?” Tap Delete After Use.

After completing these steps, your iPhone, iPad, or Mac will automatically remove OTP messages or verification emails after they are used, keeping your inbox tidy and organized.

Set Auto Delete OTP Messages in Android

OTP messages are meant for one-time use, so keeping them in your inbox after use only creates clutter. Android’s official Messages app allows you to automatically delete OTP messages 24 hours after they arrive. Here’s how to enable the feature:

Open the Messages app on your Android device.
Tap your profile icon in the top-right corner.
Select Messages settings.
Tap Message organization.
Toggle Auto-delete OTPs after 24 hrs to on.

Once this setting is enabled, your Android device will remove OTP messages automatically after 24 hours, keeping your inbox clean and organized.

Bonus Tip: Manage Your iPhone Messages and Data with Tenorshare iCareFone

Tenorshare iCareFone makes it simple to manage and transfer your iPhone messages, photos, videos, and other data. You can back up chats, move files to a new device, or export data for records — all in a few clicks.

Its clean interface and secure process help keep your iPhone data organized and safe.

Key Features of iCareFone

Quickly transfer messages, photos, and videos to PC or another device without data loss.
Export messages or chats to PDF or HTML for easy viewing.
Manage contacts, notes, and apps in one place.
Back up and restore iPhone data across multiple iOS devices.
Preview and selectively transfer or export important files.

FAQs about Auto Delete OTP

Q1: What does auto delete OTP mean?

Auto delete OTP means your phone automatically removes one-time password messages after a specific time or once used, keeping your inbox clean and organized.

Q2: How do I turn off auto delete OTP messages on iPhone?

Go to Settings → Passwords → Password Options, then toggle off “Clean Up Automatically” under Verification Codes to stop automatic deletion of OTP messages.

Q3: Can I enable auto delete OTP messages in Android phones?

Yes, open Google Messages → Settings → Message organization, then turn on “Auto-delete OTPs after 24 hrs” to remove OTPs automatically after a day.

Q4: Does auto delete OTP affect my security?

No, auto delete OTP only removes expired or used OTP messages. It doesn’t affect your account’s security or block new verification codes.

Conclusion

Managing OTP messages efficiently keeps your inbox organized and reduces the risk of using expired codes. Enabling the auto delete OTP feature on iPhone or Android ensures that one-time passwords are automatically removed after use or after 24 hours.

For anyone looking to manage, transfer, or export iPhone messages and other data safely, Tenorshare iCareFone provides a reliable and user-friendly solution. It allows you to back up important files, preview data before transferring, and keep your device organized.