WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. Its easy-to-use interface and end-to-end encryption make it a go-to choice for many. However, we’ve all experienced sending an embarrassing text or sharing something we didn’t mean to. So a common question is – can you unsend or delete a message after it’s been sent on WhatsApp?
The Short Answer
Yes, WhatsApp gives you a short window to unsend or delete messages that you’ve sent by mistake. Here are the key things to know:
- You can unsend messages for up to 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 16 seconds after sending them.
- This will delete the message for everyone in the chat – other recipients won’t be able to see it.
- The feature works for all types of messages – text, images, videos, GIFs, documents, etc.
- You can unsend multiple messages at once by long-pressing on the chat.
- Both individual and group chats are supported.
- There is no limit on how many messages you can unsend.
- Recipients will still get a notification saying “This message was deleted”.
So in summary – yes, you have just over an hour after sending a message to unsend or delete it on WhatsApp, which is very handy!
How to Unsend/Delete Messages on WhatsApp
Unsending messages on WhatsApp is easy and straightforward. Here are the steps:
- Open the WhatsApp chat where you sent the message(s) you want to delete.
- On iOS devices, tap and hold the message you want to unsend.
- On Android, tap and hold the message, then tap the trash icon.
- A pop-up will appear saying “Delete for everyone?”. Tap Delete.
- The message will be replaced by text saying “This message was deleted”.
- That’s it! The message has now been deleted for all recipients in the chat.
You can also unsend multiple messages at once:
- In the chat, tap and hold on the first message.
- This will select the message and a toolbar will appear.
- Tap the down arrow to expand the message selection.
- Continue tapping to select all the messages you want to delete.
- Tap the trash icon to unsend all selected messages.
Things to Know About Unsending
Here are some key points to keep in mind about unsending/deleting messages on WhatsApp:
- You only have up to 1 hour, 8 minutes and 16 seconds after sending a message to unsend it.
- Unsending deletes the message for everyone in the chat – other recipients can’t see it.
- All types of messages can be unsent – text, images, videos, documents, etc.
- You can unsend multiple messages together by selecting a range.
- Both individual and group chats are supported.
- There’s no limit to how many messages you can unsend.
- Recipients still get notified that “This message was deleted”.
- You can’t unsend messages older than 1 hour, 8 minutes.
- Once unsent, messages can’t be retrieved.
The window to unsend is quite short, so you have to act fast. But it’s very useful for quickly deleting mistakes or regrettable messages.
When Unsending Doesn’t Work
While WhatsApp’s unsend feature is great, there are some cases where it won’t work:
- Trying to unsend messages older than 1 hour, 8 minutes.
- If the recipient has already seen the message and taken a screenshot.
- On very old app versions that don’t support unsending.
- If your message has already been quoted or forwarded.
- In locations where WhatsApp is restricted by regulations.
So if you notice the unsend option is greyed out, chances are you’ve passed the 1 hour window or the recipient has already seen the message. Unfortunately once seen, messages can’t be deleted from the recipient’s chat history.
Unsending vs. Blocking on WhatsApp
Since unsending has limits, some people wonder if blocking a contact prevents them from seeing messages. Here’s how blocking compares:
| Unsending | Blocking Contact |
|---|---|
| Deletes message for everyone in chat | Prevents new messages but doesn’t delete existing chat history |
| Only works within 1hr 8min window | Immediately prevents new messages |
| Recipient sees “message deleted” text | Recipient can still see previous messages in chat |
| Doesn’t prevent new messages | Stops recipient from sending you messages |
So blocking only prevents future messages, it doesn’t retroactively delete chat history. For that, you need to use WhatsApp’s unsend feature within the time limit.
Mistakes to Avoid When Unsending
When using WhatsApp’s message unsend feature, be careful to avoid these common mistakes:
- Waiting too long – don’t let the 1 hour window run out.
- Accidentally unsending the wrong message.
- Not checking if the recipient has seen/screenshot the message already.
- Unsending in hopes of fully deleting a compromising message.
- Thinking it works on very old WhatsApp versions.
- Assuming you can retrieve an unsent message – you can’t.
It’s easy to miss the window so act quickly if you need to unsend. And understand unsending doesn’t completely erase messages if the recipient already saw it.
WhatsApp Unsend Limitations
While very useful, WhatsApp’s unsending feature does have some limitations:
- Short 1 hour window to unsend messages.
- Can’t unsend messages seen by recipients.
- Doesn’t work on old app versions.
- Quoted/forwarded messages can’t be unsent.
- Doesn’t bypass screenshots or chat backups.
- Notifications still show recipient the message was deleted.
- Unsent messages are permanently deleted.
Because of this, you can’t rely on unsending to completely erase compromising messages after the fact. It’s better used for quickly fixing minor mistakes and deleting accidental messages.
Unsend FAQs
Does the recipient get notified when you unsend a message on WhatsApp?
Yes, when you unsend a WhatsApp message the recipient will see a notification saying “This message was deleted” in place of the original message. So they are aware a message was removed, even if they can’t see the content.
Can you unsend a message on WhatsApp after being screenshotted?
No, once a recipient has viewed and screenshotted your WhatsApp message, you can no longer delete it from their chat history. Unsending only works before they’ve seen the content.
Can you unsend a message on WhatsApp after 1 hour?
Unfortunately no, WhatsApp only allows you to unsend messages within 1 hour and 8 minutes of sending them. After this time period, the unsend option will be greyed out.
Does unsending WhatsApp message delete it from receiver’s phone?
Yes, when you use WhatsApp’s unsend feature it deletes the message for everyone in the chat. So other recipients in the chat can no longer view the unsent message on their phones.
Can you unsend a WhatsApp message that has been forwarded?
No, WhatsApp does not allow you to unsend messages that have already been forwarded or quoted by recipients. So be very careful when forwarding private messages.
Conclusion
WhatsApp’s message unsending feature is very handy for quickly fixing mistakes and deleting accidental messages within 1 hour and 8 minutes of sending. It permanently erases the message for all chat recipients. However, unsending has limitations and doesn’t prevent recipients from screenshotting chat messages before they’re deleted. Overall it’s a useful last resort for minor message mistakes, but not reliable for deleting compromising messages after the fact.