Deleting messages on WhatsApp can be tricky if you want to fully remove content for all recipients. While the app allows you to easily delete messages just for yourself, fully removing a message for everyone requires a few extra steps. Fortunately, with the right technique, you can delete any WhatsApp message for all participants even if you initially only removed it from your own view.
What Does “Delete for Me” vs “Delete for Everyone” Mean on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp gives you two options when deleting messages:
- “Delete for me” – This deletes the message ONLY from your view. Other recipients in the chat can still see the message.
- “Delete for everyone” – This deletes the message for ALL participants in the chat. It fully removes the content from the conversation.
If you accidentally choose “Delete for me,” don’t worry. You can still delete the message for everyone as long as you act quickly and the recipients haven’t already seen it.
Step-by-Step Guide to Deleting WhatsApp Messages for Everyone
Follow these steps to fully remove a WhatsApp message for all chat participants after initially deleting it just for yourself:
- Open the WhatsApp chat containing the message you want to delete.
- Tap and hold the message bubble to select it.
- Tap the trash can icon to delete the message.
- When prompted, choose “Delete for me.” This will delete the message from your view only.
- The message bubble will be replaced by text saying “This message was deleted.”
- Tap and hold the “This message was deleted” text.
- Tap the trash can icon again to delete the message.
- This time, select “Delete for everyone” when prompted.
As long as the recipients have not already seen the message, it will now be deleted from the chat for all participants by repeating the deletion process and choosing the “Delete for everyone” option.
What Happens When You Delete a Message for Everyone?
When you delete a WhatsApp message for everyone:
- The message is fully removed from the chat and disappears from the recipient’s view.
- The message sender will see “You deleted this message” in place of the deleted content.
- Recipients will see “This message was deleted” where the deleted message used to be.
- Deleted messages are permanently erased from the conversation.
Successfully deleting a message for everyone fully erases the content as if it was never sent. It’s the only way to truly remove unwanted messages on WhatsApp once you realize your mistake.
Important Limitations of Deleting WhatsApp Messages
While you can delete messages for everyone, there are some key limitations to be aware of:
- Messages can only be deleted for everyone within 1 hour 8 minutes and 16 seconds of sending.
- The feature won’t work if recipients have already opened and viewed the content.
- Deleting for everyone is not available for messages forwarded more than 5 times.
- You can only delete 20 messages per day for everyone.
- Media still may be saved to recipients’ phones even if you delete the message.
Keep these rules in mind when deleting WhatsApp messages. Act quickly if you want to fully remove content, as your window of opportunity expires fast.
Troubleshooting Tips for Deleting Messages
If you’re having trouble deleting WhatsApp messages for everyone, try these troubleshooting tips:
- Update to the latest version of WhatsApp – Older versions may not support deleting for everyone.
- Check your internet connection – You need an active internet connection to delete messages.
- Restart your phone – This can clear up app issues preventing deletion.
- Select only 1 chat – You can only delete messages for all participants from one chat at a time.
- Avoid mass message deletion – Don’t try to delete too many messages at once.
- Wait and try again later – Recipients may need time to download your delete requests.
Persistent issues may indicate the recipients have already viewed the message. At that point, there is unfortunately no way to delete the content for everyone.
Alternative Ways to Remove Embarrassing Messages
If too much time has passed to delete a message for everyone, you still have options to minimize embarrassment or damage:
- Send a follow-up message apologizing for and clarifying the content.
- Politely ask the recipient to delete the message from their view.
- Request that the recipient do not share the content with anyone else.
- Temporarily disable notifications to reduce exposure of the message.
- Archive or mute the conversation to hide it from your main inbox view.
- Change your settings to restrict who can message you privately in the future.
While you can’t delete the message itself at that point, you can take steps to minimize its visibility and prevent further spread of unwanted content.
How to Prevent Deleting Messages by Accident
To avoid accidentally deleting important WhatsApp messages:
- Turn on chat backups to preserve your message history.
- Enable password protection and touch/face ID to restrict access.
- Be careful when selecting delete options and double check your choice.
- Think carefully before sending sensitive or embarrassing content.
- Set your messages to delete automatically after a period of time.
- Avoid clearing all chats which could delete important messages.
Enabling backups and authentication requirements can safeguard against accidental or unauthorized message deletion within WhatsApp.
Conclusion
Deleting WhatsApp messages for everyone completely removes content for all chat participants. While handy for erasing embarrassing or unwanted messages, it only works within a limited timeframe. Be ready to act fast if you want to fully delete a message, and be strategic if that window has already passed. With responsible use, this can be a useful tool for maintaining privacy and curating positive conversations.