How to delete an SMS in WhatsApp for yourself and others - briefly?
To delete an SMS in WhatsApp for yourself, simply tap and hold the message until a menu appears, then select "Delete" or "Delete for Me." To delete for others as well, choose "Delete for Everyone," but this option is only available within one hour of sending the message.
How to delete an SMS in WhatsApp for yourself and others - in detail?
Deleting messages on WhatsApp can be crucial for maintaining privacy or correcting a mistake. Whether you want to delete a message for yourself or remove it from both your and the recipient's chat history, here’s a detailed guide:
For Yourself
WhatsApp offers an easy way to delete messages that you have sent. However, this feature is only available if the message has not been read by the recipient. Here are the steps:
- Open WhatsApp and go to the chat where the message is located.
- Long press on the message you want to delete. This will select it.
- Once selected, tap on the trash can icon that appears at the top of your screen.
- Confirm the deletion by tapping Delete for me.
For Both You and the Recipient
If you need to delete a message for everyone in the chat, you have 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 16 seconds from the time you sent it. After this period, the option is no longer available. Here’s how:
- Open WhatsApp and navigate to the chat containing the message you want to delete.
- Long press on the message until a menu appears at the top of your screen.
- Tap on the trash can icon.
- In the pop-up menu, select Delete for everyone.
- Confirm the action by tapping Delete.
Additional Tips
- Read Receipts: If you have read receipts turned off, WhatsApp will not show that your message has been read, giving you more time to delete it if necessary.
- Group Chats: In group chats, even if you delete a message for everyone, the other participants can still see the message in their notifications until they open WhatsApp.
- Media Files: Deleting media files like photos and videos works similarly but note that the recipient may have already downloaded or seen the content.
Important Considerations
- Backup: If you delete a message and later restore your phone from a backup, the deleted message will reappear in your chat history.
- Notifications: Deleting a message does not remove it from the recipient's notification panel if they have not opened WhatsApp yet.
By following these steps, you can effectively manage your messages and maintain control over your communication on WhatsApp.