Apple has released a software update for iPhones and iPads to fix a privacy bug that could allow law enforcement to recover deleted or disappearing messages from messaging apps.
According to Apple’s security notice, the issue caused notifications that were meant to be deleted to remain unexpectedly stored on the device. Because message previews shown in notifications were cached for up to a month, forensic tools could potentially extract their contents even after the original messages had been removed inside the app.
The bug gained attention after independent outlet 404 Media reported that the FBI was able to recover deleted Signal messages from an iPhone using forensic software. The messages had reportedly remained inside a phone database after first appearing in notifications.
Following the report, Signal president Meredith Whittaker said the company had asked Apple to resolve the issue. She said notifications for deleted messages should not remain in any operating system notification database.
Apple has not publicly explained why notification content was being retained, but the latest patch suggests it was unintended behavior. The company has also released the fix for users still running older iOS 18 versions.
Privacy advocates raised concerns after learning that investigators could bypass a feature many users rely on. Apps like Signal and WhatsApp allow disappearing messages, which automatically delete chats after a set time. The feature is commonly used by people who want extra privacy if their phones are lost, seized, or inspected.
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