How to delete all correspondence in WhatsApp for yourself and for the recipient?

How to delete all correspondence in WhatsApp for yourself and for the recipient - briefly?

To delete all correspondence in WhatsApp for yourself, you can use the "Delete for Me" option, which removes the messages from your device but leaves them on the recipient's device. If you want to delete the messages for both yourself and the recipient, you can use the "Delete for Everyone" feature within 68 minutes of sending the message. This will remove the messages from both devices permanently.

How to delete all correspondence in WhatsApp for yourself and for the recipient - in detail?

Deleting all correspondence in WhatsApp can be a necessary step for various reasons, such as freeing up storage space or ensuring privacy. Here’s a detailed guide on how to delete all messages from your device and from the recipient's device:

Deleting Messages for Yourself

1. Backup Your Chats: Before deleting any messages, it’s crucial to back up your chats to avoid losing important data. Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
2. Delete Individual Messages:
   • Open the chat you want to delete messages from.
   • Tap and hold on a message until the options menu appears.
   • Select the messages you want to delete by tapping on them.
   • Tap the trash can icon at the top of the screen to delete the selected messages.
3. Delete Entire Chat:
   • Open the chat you want to delete.
   • Tap on the three dots (menu) in the top right corner.
   • Select “More” and then tap “Clear Chat”.
   • Confirm by tapping “Clear” again. This will delete the chat from your device but not from the recipient’s device.

Deleting Messages for the Recipient (Using Delete for Everyone)

1. Enable Delete for Everyone: WhatsApp offers a feature called "Delete for Everyone" that allows you to delete messages for both you and the recipient. However, this feature has time constraints:
   • You can only delete messages within 7 minutes after sending.
   • After 7 minutes, you cannot use "Delete for Everyone".
2. Using Delete for Everyone:
   • Open the chat containing the message you want to delete.
   • Tap and hold on the message until the options menu appears.
   • Select “Delete” from the menu.
   • Choose “Delete for Everyone”. This will remove the message from both your device and the recipient’s device.

Important Notes

• Group Chats: In group chats, using "Delete for Everyone" will only remove the message for participants who haven't seen it yet. Participants who have already seen the message will still be able to see it in their chat history.
• Media Files: Deleting messages does not free up space on your device if you have downloaded media files like photos or videos. You must manually delete these from your phone’s storage.
• Backup Considerations: When you back up your chats, deleted messages are not included in the backup. However, if you restore from a backup, any messages you had previously deleted will reappear.

By following these steps, you can effectively manage and delete all correspondence in WhatsApp for both yourself and the recipient, ensuring that your chat history remains organized and private.