The most reliable way to find unread conversations is to use the Messages filtering controls when they are available. Searching Spotlight for the word “unread” is not a dependable way to identify unread texts.
- Open Messages.
- From the conversation list, tap Filters if that button is shown.
- Tap Unread Messages to display conversations that still contain unread messages.
- Open the conversations you want to review.
- Return to the normal message list when you are finished.
If you do not see Filters, filtering may need to be enabled through the Messages settings or the interface may differ on your iOS version. The regular Messages search field is useful for finding people, words, links, photos, and other content, but it is different from the unread-conversation filter.