No, companies generally can't read your personal iMessages due to Apple's strong end-to-end encryption, meaning only you and the recipient can see the content, not even Apple. However, on a company-owned device, they can monitor activity and potentially access messages if they have control via Mobile Device Management (MDM) or if you log into your personal accounts, while using company Wi-Fi can reveal what sites you visit (not content) and metadata, but not iMessage content unless they intercept it with advanced methods (like a managed VPN/proxy) or you explicitly allow monitoring.
(Whether they have the ability to do so without your knowledge is another question, as text message records are stored by cell phone companies, rather than on company servers, and not all employers have access to those records.) Your employer does not, however, have the right to search your personal cell phone.
Apple to Apple iMessages have end to end encryption. The phone company is not able to see them.
Can iMessage texts be tracked? While Apple iMessages are encrypted, parents can track texts by signing into the associated iCloud account or using third-party parental control apps.
We designed iMessage to use end-to-end encryption, so there's no way for Apple to decrypt the content of your conversations when they are in transit between devices. Attachments you send over iMessage (such as photos or videos) are encrypted so that no one but the sender and receiver(s) can access them.
Here's what the document says it can access for iMessage: Message content limited. Subpoena: Can render basic subscriber information. 18 USC §2703(d): Can render 25 days of iMessage lookups and from a target number. Pen Register: No capability.
Messages automatically uses the following screen effects for specific text strings:
Check your devices for tracking software
It allows your employer to remotely monitor your activities and take control of the devices. On an iPhone, go to Settings → General → VPN & Device Management. You should see a profile listed if your employer is using the software.
Turn off message previews
This can be a security risk, as someone nearby could easily read your messages over your shoulder. To prevent this from happening, go to Settings > Notifications > Messages. Under Lock Screen Appearance, click Show Previews and select Never.
End-to-end encryption
iMessage and FaceTime are designed so that there's no way for Apple to read your messages when they're in transit between devices.
Deleted messages and attachments remain in your Recently Deleted folder for up to 30 days, and you can recover them.
iCloud exploitation
Someone can spy on your messages by: Logging into your iCloud account from another device to view message backups. Using a shared Apple ID (common in families) to receive your iMessages on their device. Using iCloud monitoring tools if they know your credentials.
What can my employer see on my personal phone? If your employer installs a work profile or mobile device management (MDM) software, they may access data like work emails, apps, and activity, but personal data may also be exposed, depending on the configuration.
Spyware and monitoring apps need elevated permissions to access your SMS messages. You can check whether any apps have permission to see your SMS messages by going to the Permission manager in your Android settings. To check and disable SMS permissions on an Android device: Open Settings > Privacy > Permission manager.
Is there workplace electronic privacy? Employers have the right to check your communications, whether you use Slack, work email, or a business phone, as long as there is a legitimate business need to do so.
SMS is inherently unencrypted, unlike modern messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Signal, or iMessage, which use end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to secure conversations. This means that messages sent via SMS can be viewed, stored, and even intercepted at multiple points along their journey from sender to recipient.
When you message other devices outside the Apple ecosystem, your privacy guarantees are nowhere near as strong. Apple has repeatedly promised that E2E encryption support for RCS (essentially Android's upgraded version of SMS) is on the horizon, but it's yet to materialize.
How to hide texts on your iPhone lock screen
Turning off iMessage doesn't delete any existing messages. It only affects how new messages are sent.
Three-finger gestures on iPhone primarily activate accessibility features like VoiceOver (for screen reading and navigation) and Zoom (magnification), allowing scrolling, zooming, and text manipulation (copy/paste/undo) with specific taps and drags, though some text actions work without VoiceOver enabled for quick editing. Common gestures include three-finger double-tap to toggle VoiceOver speech, triple-tap for the screen curtain, and pinching/spreading with three fingers for copy/paste actions, notes this YouTube video.
On an iPhone, dialing *#21# is a USSD code used to check the status of your unconditional call forwarding, revealing if your calls, SMS, or data are being redirected and to which number, without actually changing settings; it's a simple privacy check to see if someone has secretly set your phone to forward everything, though it doesn't detect advanced spyware. Dialing this code brings up a message from your carrier about your call forwarding status, often showing "Disabled" or a specific number if it's active.
1) Respond like a ninja
If you're in a rush you can respond to a message in seconds with a pre-loaded response. Simply tap and hold the message you received and you'll see the option to react with a heart, thumbs up or down, the phrase "ha ha," exclamation marks or a question mark.
Certain words trigger fun effects in Apple's iMessage. Typing “Happy Birthday” fills the screen with balloons, “Congratulations” drops confetti, and “Pew pew” launches a laser light show. You can also send fireworks with “Happy New Year” or firecrackers for occasions like Lunar or Chinese New Year.