How to delete a sent WhatsApp message for everyone if a lot of time has passed - briefly?
If you need to delete a sent WhatsApp message for everyone after a significant amount of time has passed, it is unfortunately not possible. WhatsApp's "Delete for Everyone" feature only works within seven minutes of sending the message.
How to delete a sent WhatsApp message for everyone if a lot of time has passed - in detail?
To delete a sent WhatsApp message for everyone, even if a significant amount of time has passed, you can follow these detailed steps:
- Open WhatsApp: Launch the WhatsApp application on your device.
- Navigate to the Chat: Go to the chat where you sent the message you want to delete. You can do this by tapping on the chat from the Chats list.
- Select the Message: Long-press on the message you wish to delete until it is highlighted and checked. If there are multiple messages, you can select all relevant ones.
- Access the Message Options: Once the message is selected, tap on the three dots (⋮) or the trash icon that appears at the top of your screen. This will open a menu with various options.
- Delete for Everyone: In the menu, you will see an option labeled "Delete for everyone". Tap on this option to initiate the deletion process.
- Confirmation: After tapping "Delete for everyone", WhatsApp will ask for confirmation. Confirm that you want to delete the message by tapping "Delete" again.
Important Considerations:
- Time Limit: While there is no official time limit specified by WhatsApp, messages can typically be deleted within 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 16 seconds of sending. After this period, the "Delete for everyone" option may not be available.
- Recipient's Device Status: The recipient must have an active internet connection to receive the deletion notification. If their device is offline when you delete the message, they will still see it in their chat history until they reconnect to the internet.
- Message Notification: Recipients will see a notification stating "This message was deleted". They won't be able to see the content of the message, but they will know that something was deleted.
Troubleshooting Tips:
- Ensure your device has an active internet connection to successfully send the deletion request.
- If you are unable to delete a message, it may have already exceeded the allowed time frame or there could be technical issues on WhatsApp's end. In such cases, contacting WhatsApp support might provide further assistance.
By following these steps, you can effectively manage your communication on WhatsApp and ensure that sensitive information is removed from all recipients' devices.