How to delete a message in WhatsApp for yourself and others - briefly?
Deleting a message in WhatsApp can be done either for yourself or for everyone in the chat. To delete a message for yourself, simply tap and hold on the message, select "Delete," and then choose "Delete for me." To delete a message for everyone, you must do so within seven minutes of sending it; tap and hold on the message, select "Delete," and then choose "Delete for everyone."
How to delete a message in WhatsApp for yourself and others - in detail?
Deleting messages on WhatsApp can be crucial for maintaining privacy or correcting mistakes. Whether you want to remove a message from your own device or ensure it disappears from the recipient's chat as well, here’s how to do it:
Deleting Messages for Yourself
WhatsApp offers two methods to delete messages for yourself:
Method 1: Using the Message Options
- Open WhatsApp and navigate to the chat where the message is located.
- Long-press on the message you want to delete until a menu appears at the top of your screen.
- Tap on the trash can icon (Delete). This will remove the message from your device.
Method 2: Using the Chat Context Menu
- Open WhatsApp and go to the chat containing the message you wish to delete.
- Tap and hold on the message until it is selected. You can select multiple messages by tapping additional messages.
- At the top of your screen, tap the three vertical dots (More) icon to open the context menu.
- Select Delete from the list of options. This will remove the selected messages from your device.
Deleting Messages for Others
WhatsApp allows you to delete messages not only from your own device but also from the recipient's chat. This feature is called "Delete for Everyone."
Steps to Delete a Message for Everyone
- Open WhatsApp and go to the chat where the message you want to delete is located.
- Long-press on the message until the menu appears at the top of your screen.
- Tap on the trash can icon (Delete).
- A prompt will appear asking if you want to delete the message for yourself or for everyone.
- Select Delete for Everyone. Note that this option is only available within seven minutes of sending the message. After this timeframe, you can only delete messages for yourself.
Important Considerations
- Time Limit: The "Delete for Everyone" feature must be used within seven minutes of sending the message.
- Message Status: Both you and the recipient will see a notification indicating that the message was deleted. However, it won't specify if the message was deleted by the sender or the receiver.
- Group Chats: In group chats, all participants will see the "This message was deleted" notice, but they won't know who deleted it.
- Read Receipts: If a recipient has read receipts turned off, you won’t be able to see if they have viewed your messages before they are deleted.
By following these steps, you can efficiently manage and remove unwanted or incorrect messages from WhatsApp, ensuring both your own chat history remains clean and that sensitive information is not inadvertently shared with others.