How to delete a chat in WhatsApp for everyone - briefly?
To delete a chat in WhatsApp for everyone, follow these steps:
- Open the chat you want to delete.
- Tap on the three dots (vertical) or the profile picture (horizontal), select 'Delete Chat', and choose 'Delete for Everyone'.
How to delete a chat in WhatsApp for everyone - in detail?
Deleting a chat on WhatsApp can be crucial for maintaining privacy and security, especially when you want to ensure that the conversation disappears from both your device and those of the recipients. Here is a detailed guide on how to delete a chat in WhatsApp for everyone:
Firstly, it's important to note that WhatsApp provides two primary methods for deleting messages or chats. The first method involves deleting individual messages within a chat, while the second method allows you to delete an entire conversation thread. Both methods can be executed to remove content from both your device and the devices of the recipients involved in the chat.
Method 1: Deleting Individual Messages
To delete specific messages within a chat for everyone, follow these steps:
- Open WhatsApp: Launch the WhatsApp application on your mobile device.
- Select the Chat: Navigate to the individual or group chat from which you want to delete messages.
- Long Press on Message: Locate the message you wish to delete and press and hold it until a menu appears at the top of the screen.
- Delete for Everyone: Tap on the 'Delete' icon (represented by a trash can) in the menu that pops up. You will see an option to "Delete for Me" or "Delete for Everyone". Select "Delete for Everyone".
- Confirm Deletion: Confirm your action when prompted. The message will be removed from your chat and from the chats of all recipients in the conversation.
Method 2: Deleting an Entire Chat Thread
To delete an entire chat thread, including all messages and media for everyone involved in the conversation, follow these steps:
- Open WhatsApp: Launch the WhatsApp application on your mobile device.
- Settings Menu: Tap on the three dots (⋮) located at the top right corner of the screen to access the menu.
- Select Settings: In the dropdown menu, select "Settings".
- Account Preferences: Navigate to the "Account" section in the settings menu.
- Delete My Account: Under the account preferences, you will find an option labeled "Delete My Account". Tap on this option.
- Enter Phone Number: You will be prompted to enter your phone number. Do so and proceed with the deletion process as instructed by WhatsApp.
- Confirm Deletion: After confirming, all chat threads, messages, and media associated with your account will be deleted from both your device and the devices of your contacts.
Important Considerations
- Time Limit: For individual message deletions, there is a time limit of 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 16 seconds after sending or receiving the message. After this period, you will not be able to delete messages for everyone.
- Backup: Deleting a chat thread will also remove any associated backups from your cloud storage if automatic backup is enabled. Ensure that you have backed up any important data before proceeding with deletion.
- Group Chats: In group chats, all participants can see when a message has been deleted by anyone in the group. However, only the sender of the message will be able to delete it for everyone.
By following these detailed steps, you can effectively manage your WhatsApp messages and maintain the privacy and security of your conversations.