How delete messages that appear in Phone Link but are not on my phone?

Hi Cfordg, I have 35 years in IT so I know all about undocumented features, mainframe, mid-range and PCs. I'm retired now but those days are fresh in my memory.

I guess I'm not understanding what your issue is. I don't think it's the phone brand. I'm running Android 14 on a Samsung S24+ and Android 9 on an old Samsung S8 (which doesn't have a SIM anymore). I am running WIN 11 on a laptop. When I was using the S8 it worked exactly the same as the S24+ does now. I've never been able to delete anything from the Windows Phone Link. I can read, reply and compose but not delete anything. On the cell phone, anything that isn't deleted is visible in Windows but anything on the phone that is identified as archived, blocked or Spam appears in Windows like any message. There is no separate listing in Windows like there is on the phone for those areas. Until you delete everything from archive, blocked and Spam they will continue to appear in Windows Phone Link.

Were you able to find the Spam and Blocked folder on your phone?

Thanks for your help, it's appreciated.

The issue for me (and I am sure others) is that unless you have a very specific PC and cell setup, there seems to be no answer. I have a Motorola 5G stylus running Android and a laptop running WIN 11. Clearing texts from the phone is simple, but as of now, I'm stuck with the problem on my PC using the Phone Link app. I have too much material on both sides of this hardware to easily change. I note that the official app description doesn't cover these issues.

The early MS responder to this issue referred to this as a feature, not a bug. Years ago, we used to joke that a software problem wasn't as bug, it was an undocumented feature. It seems that little has changed on some aspects of the developer landscape.

On your (Android) phone, even if you send something to the archive or spam folder they will be gone from your phone messages. On the PC in Phone Link they will still be in the list of messages and you can't delete them.

On the phone, in Google Messages (I don't know about Samsung or other default messages app) when you see the list of messages, at the top, next to the magnifying glass is a little icon of a person. Click on that and it will take you to a menu where you can select Archive and Spam messages. (Swiping left or right on a message will archive it.)

(I miss Pogo's wisdom)

What spam folder and where - PC or cell phone?

I have never been able to delete messages in Phone Link. I don't see any option to do that. I've always deleted them on the phone. If they are deleted on the phone but still exist in Phone Link then (ON THE PHONE) you have to go to the Archived or Spam & Blocked section and delete the message. You reach this area (at least on my Samsung S24+) by touching the "face" icon next to the Search magnifying glass, then select Archived or Spam & Blocked and delete any you find there. Then they will be gone in Phone Link.

The 3 dots (ellipses), shown in the Phone Link message listing will give you Pin, Mute & Hide, nothing else.