How do I delete read messages in WhatsApp - briefly?
To delete a read message in WhatsApp, you can select the message and tap on the trash can icon at the top of the screen.
How do I delete read messages in WhatsApp - in detail?
Deleting read messages on WhatsApp can be a useful feature to maintain privacy or free up space in your chat history. However, it's important to note that while you can delete messages for yourself, the recipient will still see the message until they manually delete it from their device as well. Here’s how you can delete read messages on WhatsApp:
Deleting Messages for Yourself
- Open WhatsApp: Launch the WhatsApp application on your smartphone.
- Navigate to the Chat: Go to the chat where the message you want to delete is located.
- Select the Message: Long press on the message you wish to delete until a menu pops up at the top of the screen.
- Delete for Me: In the menu, tap on the trash can icon or select "Delete for Me". This will remove the message from your chat history but not from the recipient's device.
Deleting Messages for Everyone (within 1 hour 8 minutes 16 seconds)
WhatsApp also offers an option to delete messages for everyone in a group or individual chat. However, this feature is only available for a short period after sending the message:
- Open WhatsApp: Launch the WhatsApp application on your smartphone.
- Navigate to the Chat: Go to the chat where the message you want to delete is located.
- Select the Message: Long press on the message until a menu pops up at the top of the screen.
- Delete for Everyone: In the menu, tap on "Delete for Everyone". This will remove the message from both your and the recipient's chat history. Note that this option is only available within 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 16 seconds after sending the message.
Important Considerations
- Recipient Notification: When you delete a message for everyone, WhatsApp will notify the recipients that a message was deleted. However, they won't see the content of the deleted message.
- Backup and Restore: If a recipient has created a backup before you delete the message for everyone, the message might still be in their chat history when they restore from the backup.
- Group Chats: In group chats, all participants will see the notification that a message was deleted by someone, but they won't know who deleted it unless the admin specifies.
By following these steps, you can effectively manage and delete read messages in WhatsApp, ensuring your chat history remains clean and private.