How to delete a message for another person in WhatsApp?

How to delete a message for another person in WhatsApp - briefly?

To delete a message for another person in WhatsApp, you need to use the "Delete for Everyone" feature within 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 16 seconds of sending the message. Simply tap and hold on the message, select "Delete," then choose "Delete for Everyone."

How to delete a message for another person in WhatsApp - in detail?

Deleting a message for someone else in WhatsApp is a feature that allows users to remove messages from their own and the recipient's chat history. This can be particularly useful if you sent a message by mistake or if you want to ensure that the message does not remain visible to the other person. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide on how to delete messages for another person in WhatsApp:

  1. Open WhatsApp: Launch the WhatsApp application on your mobile device.
  2. Navigate to Chat: Go to the chat where you want to delete the message. You can do this by tapping on the specific contact or group from your list of chats.
  3. Select the Message: Long-press on the message that you wish to delete until it gets highlighted. If you want to select multiple messages, you can tap on other messages while keeping the first one pressed.
  4. Access the Menu: Once the message is selected, look for a trash bin icon or a "delete" option at the top of your screen. Depending on whether you are using an Android or iOS device, this icon might appear differently.
  5. Confirm Deletion: Tap on the delete icon. A confirmation dialog will pop up, asking if you want to delete the message for everyone. WhatsApp allows you to choose between deleting just from your side or deleting it for all participants in the chat. Select "Delete for Everyone".
  6. Success Message: After confirming, WhatsApp will send a notification to all recipients that you have deleted a message. The text of the deleted message will be replaced with "This message was deleted" in your and the recipient's chat history.

Important Notes:

  • Time Limit: You only have 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 16 seconds to delete messages for everyone after sending. After this time frame, you can only delete messages from your own chat history.
  • Recipient Awareness: The recipient will see a notification that a message was deleted. However, they won’t be able to view the content of the deleted message.
  • Group Chats: Deleting messages in group chats works similarly, but keep in mind that all participants will receive the "This message was deleted" notification.

Limitations:

  • Quoted Messages: If a message has been quoted or forwarded by another participant before you delete it, deletion for everyone won't be possible. The original message can still be seen in the quoted or forwarded context.
  • Backup: Deleted messages may still exist in backups unless those backups are also deleted. WhatsApp does not provide an option to remove messages from backups.

By following these steps, you can effectively manage your WhatsApp conversations and ensure that unwanted messages do not remain visible to others.