Unlock Multiple Text Messages

[Android Question]

Hello everyone! I am using an HTC currently running Android 4.4.2 however the issue first happened on an earlier version (not sure which).

Ok so a while ago I selected a SMS text message and went to either delete or lock it but somehow I hit the wrong option or it glitched but ALL of my text messages sent/received before a certain date were locked. This now causing an issue becaus there are thousands of messages that cannot be auto deleted once limits are reached. I need to clear these out it forces me to go one thread at a time because if I select multiple threads to delete it will only delete unlocked messages.

In all my searching I have not found any record of multiple text messages being locked or unlocked. If this is incorrect please point to those options/apps. I have tried to back them up, delete and restore but it just restores the locked status and when I try to only resore messages past a certain date the restore fails.

TL;DR: thousands of text messages are now somehow locked and I need to delete them without going one by one.

 

[Digital Controller]

I have never run into this issue before, but I know that if you factory reset your device that it would delete all your messages regardless if there are ones that are locked or not.

This will delete all your other data though.

I would also look into the Settings > Application Manager > Messaging App > Clear Data, this will wipe all your messages, hopefully the ones that are locked too.