How to delete a chat in WhatsApp so that it cannot be restored - briefly?
To permanently delete a chat in WhatsApp without the possibility of restoration, follow these steps:
- Open WhatsApp and go to the chat you want to delete.
- Tap on the three dots in the top right corner, select "More," then tap "Delete Chat" and confirm by selecting "Delete."
How to delete a chat in WhatsApp so that it cannot be restored - in detail?
Deleting a chat in WhatsApp permanently, ensuring it cannot be restored, involves several steps and considerations. It's crucial to understand the distinction between deleting a chat from your device and removing it from WhatsApp servers entirely. Here’s how you can achieve this:
Firstly, backing up your chats is essential before proceeding with permanent deletion. WhatsApp allows users to create backups of their conversations, which are stored on Google Drive or iCloud depending on the device's operating system. To create a backup:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
- Navigate to Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap on "Backup" to save your chats to Google Drive (for Android) or iCloud (for iOS).
Once the backup is complete, you can delete the chat from your device:
- Open WhatsApp and go to the chat you wish to delete.
- Tap on the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen.
- Select "More" > "Delete Chat."
- Choose whether to delete media from the chat or not, then confirm by tapping "Delete."
However, deleting a chat from your device does not remove it from WhatsApp’s servers. To ensure that the chat is permanently deleted and cannot be restored, you need to delete the chat from both your device and WhatsApp's servers. Here’s how:
- After deleting the chat from your device, open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
- Navigate to Account > Request Account Info. This feature allows you to export your account information, including messages.
- Follow the prompts to request a report. Once the report is ready (usually within 90 days), you will receive an email with a link to download it.
- Download and review the report. It contains all your WhatsApp data, including messages.
- To delete specific messages or chats from this report, you would need to manually remove them from your device’s storage where the report is saved.
- Finally, you can request WhatsApp to delete your account entirely by going to Settings > Account > Delete My Account. This action will erase all data associated with your account from WhatsApp's servers, ensuring that the chat cannot be restored.
It’s important to note that once you delete your account, all messages and data will be lost permanently. Therefore, it is advisable to export any necessary information before proceeding with this step.
By following these detailed steps, you can ensure that a WhatsApp chat is deleted permanently and cannot be restored.