WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. It allows you to easily communicate with friends, family, coworkers, and more through text, voice notes, video calls, and more. However, one downside to WhatsApp is that by default, your messages are not deleted automatically. So if you accidentally sent an embarrassing photo or message you regret, it can stay in the chat history indefinitely.
Luckily, there is a way to delete WhatsApp messages even after they have been sent. With the ‘Delete for Everyone’ feature, you can erase messages up to 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds after sending them. Here’s what you need to know about using Delete for Everyone to remove WhatsApp messages after 2 hours have passed.
Overview of Deleting WhatsApp Messages
When you send a message on WhatsApp, it is stored in several places:
- On your device in the chat history
- On the recipient’s device in their chat history
- On WhatsApp’s servers
Deleting a message removes it from your device’s chat history and the recipient’s chat history. However, it will remain on WhatsApp’s servers until the Delete for Everyone time limit runs out.
There are two options for deleting messages on WhatsApp:
- Delete for Me – Removes the message only from your chat history.
- Delete for Everyone – Deletes the message for both you and the recipients if done within 2 hours, 59 minutes.
So if you want to completely erase a message from the conversation after 2 hours have passed, Delete for Everyone is the option to use.
Requirements for Deleting WhatsApp Messages After 2 Hours
Here are the requirements for successfully deleting a WhatsApp message after 2 hours:
- The message must have been sent less than 2 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds ago. The Delete for Everyone feature has this strict time limit.
- The recipient needs to have the chat open to delete the message. If the chat is closed, the message deletion will fail.
- You need an active internet connection on your phone to send the delete request and for the message to be erased.
- Both you and the recipient must be on the latest version of WhatsApp. Delete for Everyone is not available on outdated versions.
- You can only delete messages up to 2 hours old. Anything older cannot be removed with Delete for Everyone.
As long as the message meets the time limit and the recipient’s chat is open, you should be able to successfully delete it from the conversation.
Step-by-Step Guide to Deleting WhatsApp Messages After 2 Hours
Follow these steps to delete a WhatsApp message you sent over 2 hours ago:
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Open the WhatsApp chat containing the message you want to delete. Tap and hold the message bubble to select it.
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Tap the trash can icon to delete the message. A popup will appear with the options “Delete for Me” and “Delete for Everyone.”
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Select “Delete for Everyone.” WhatsApp will send a request to the recipient’s device to delete the message.
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A “Deletes message” notice will show in the chat once the message has been deleted from both devices.
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If the deletion was unsuccessful, you will see the notice “You can only delete messages for everyone up to 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds after sending.”
Keep in mind the recipient needs to have opened WhatsApp for the message deletion to go through. You may need to ask them to open the app if you do not see the “Deletes message” confirmation.
How to Verify a Message Was Deleted
To confirm if a WhatsApp message was successfully erased after 2 hours, follow these verification steps:
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In the chat, check that the “Deletes message” notice is showing in place of the message bubble.
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Close and reopen the WhatsApp chat. The deleted message should not reappear.
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Open the recipient’s chat and check that the message no longer appears in their history either.
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Log out of your WhatsApp account on your phone, then log back in. Deleted messages do not reappear upon logging back in.
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Delete the WhatsApp chat history from both devices. The message should not be present if restored.
If you complete these steps and do not see the deleted message anymore, you can be assured it was successfully removed from the chat history on both devices.
Why Your Deleted WhatsApp Message May Reappear
Sometimes even if you use Delete for Everyone, the message may reappear in your or the recipient’s chat history. Here are some reasons why:
- The recipient did not have internet connectivity when you sent the delete request. The message deletion will not sync until they go online again.
- You or the recipient have an outdated version of WhatsApp. Make sure you are both updated to the latest version.
- The message was older than 2 hours, 59 minutes when you tried to delete it. The time limit had expired.
- The recipient’s chat was closed when you sent the delete request. Ask them to open the chat and you can try again.
- Your phone lost internet connectivity when sending the deletion. The request may fail to deliver.
Give it some time and retry deleting the message if any of these factors was present. Also ask the recipient to force close and reopen WhatsApp to sync the message deletion.
Does the Recipient Get Notified When You Delete a Message?
When you use Delete for Everyone to erase a WhatsApp message, the recipient does get notified that you deleted the message. They will see the text “[You] deleted this message” in place of the original message.
So while the content of the message is deleted, the recipient is still aware that you sent something and then deleted it. There is no way to secretly erase a WhatsApp message without the other person knowing.
Can the Recipient See the Message Before It’s Deleted?
If the recipient has already viewed the message before you delete it, they will have seen the content. However, as soon as the deletion goes through, it will be erased from their chat history as well and no longer visible.
But if the message is still unread when deleted, the other person will see that a message was deleted, but not the content of the message.
Does Delete for Everyone Work in Group Chats?
Yes, you can use Delete for Everyone to remove messages you’ve sent in WhatsApp group chats as well. The same 2 hour, 59 minute time limit applies.
When you delete a message you sent to a group chat, it will be removed for everyone in the group if done within the time constraint. The group members will all see that you deleted your message.
Can Someone Stop Me From Deleting My Message?
There is no way for recipients to prevent you from deleting your own WhatsApp message using Delete for Everyone. As long as the message is under 2 hours, 59 minutes old, you can delete it and they cannot stop it.
However, any participants in a group chat can long press and disable the “Delete for Everyone” option on specific messages. This prevents anyone from deleting that particular message in the group.
Is There Any Way to Recover a Deleted Message?
Unfortunately, once a WhatsApp message is deleted using Delete for Everyone, there is no built-in way to recover it. The message is erased from your chat history, the recipient’s chat history, and WhatsApp’s servers.
However, here are some ways the message contents may still be accessed:
- If either chat history was backed up to Google Drive or iCloud before the message was deleted.
- If either person took a screenshot of the message before it was deleted.
- Using specialized data recovery software to salvage remnants of deleted data.
But within WhatsApp itself, there is no undelete option. The message is permanently removed unless outside backups exist.
Can I Automate Message Deletion?
While WhatsApp does not have a built-in way to automatically delete messages after a set time, there are some third-party apps that offer this functionality by accessing your WhatsApp data:
- WAMR – Auto Message Delete for WhatsApp (Android only)
- Watusi – WhatsApp with Disappearing Messages (iOS only)
- SKAT – Schedule Message Delete (Android only)
These apps can schedule WhatsApp messages to be deleted after a customized time, like 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, etc. However, they have full access to your WhatsApp data.
What About Secret/Self-Destructing Message Apps?
Some apps like Confide and Dust offer self-destructing secret messages that get deleted immediately after being viewed. However, these require the recipient to also have the same app installed.
For deleting messages from regular WhatsApp after 2 hours, your recipient does not need any special apps. The Delete for Everyone feature works across WhatsApp as long as both parties have the latest version.
WhatsApp Disappearing Messages
WhatsApp is testing a new ‘Disappearing Messages’ feature which will automatically delete new messages in a chat after 7 days. This is different than Delete for Everyone, as it is enabled for an entire chat thread.
Once enabled, any new messages sent in that chat will be deleted after 7 days automatically. This can help automatically clear up old chats. However, it only applies to messages sent after enabling it.
FAQs About Deleting WhatsApp Messages After 2 Hours
Why can’t I delete a message older than 2 hours?
WhatsApp limits the Delete for Everyone feature to only work on recent messages less than 2 hours, 59 minutes old. This is likely a safety measure to prevent abuse.
Do deleted messages still show up in notifications?
No, once a message is deleted, it will no longer appear in notifications or message previews either.
Can I Delete for Everyone on iPhone and Android?
Yes, Delete for Everyone works the same way on both iPhone and Android devices as long as you have the latest WhatsApp version installed.
Is there a Delete for Everyone log or history?
No, WhatsApp does not keep a log or history of messages deleted using Delete for Everyone. The messages are permanently removed.
What happens if I delete an entire chat?
Deleting an entire chat history will erase all messages in the chat on your device. However, it does not delete the messages from the recipient’s chat history.
Conclusion
WhatsApp’s Delete for Everyone feature provides a simple way to remove regrettable messages you’ve sent within the last 2 hours, 59 minutes. While not perfect, it can give you peace of mind to delete embarrassing or unwanted messages from the chat history.
Just be aware that the recipient is notified when a message is deleted. And any backups or screenshots may still contain the message if they exist. Overall, Delete for Everyone gives you a handy way to eliminate recent WhatsApp messages permanently.