How to delete messages in WhatsApp without the possibility of restoring the chat history - briefly?
To permanently delete messages in WhatsApp without the possibility of restoration, users can delete the message from both their device and the recipient's device within seven minutes of sending it. This action will remove the message from both chat histories, making it irretrievable.
How to delete messages in WhatsApp without the possibility of restoring the chat history - in detail?
To permanently delete messages in WhatsApp and ensure that there is no possibility of restoring the chat history, you need to follow a detailed set of steps. This process involves deleting messages both from your device and from WhatsApp's servers. Here’s how you can achieve this:
Firstly, it’s crucial to understand that WhatsApp offers two types of message deletion options: Delete for Me and Delete for Everyone. The "Delete for Everyone" feature allows users to delete messages for all participants in a chat within seven minutes of sending. However, this option only removes the messages from the recipients' devices but does not delete them from WhatsApp’s servers.
To permanently remove messages without any possibility of restoration, you must follow these steps:
-
Delete Messages Locally:
- Open WhatsApp on your device.
- Navigate to the chat containing the messages you want to delete.
- Select the message(s) you wish to remove by long-pressing on them.
- Tap the "Delete" icon (usually represented by a trash can).
- Confirm the deletion by tapping "Delete for Me". This action removes the messages from your device but leaves them intact on WhatsApp’s servers and other participants' devices.
-
Clear WhatsApp Cache:
- After deleting the messages, clear the cache to ensure that no residual data remains.
- On Android: Go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Storage & cache > Clear Cache.
- On iOS: Unfortunately, there is no direct way to clear the cache on iOS devices. Instead, you can uninstall and then reinstall WhatsApp to achieve a similar effect.
-
Backup and Restore:
- Backup your current chat history by going to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Once backed up, you need to delete the app data. For Android users, this can be done via Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Storage & cache > Clear Data. For iOS users, uninstalling and then reinstalling the app will achieve the same result.
-
Disable Backup:
-
Delete WhatsApp Account:
- The most secure way to permanently delete messages is by deleting your WhatsApp account, which will remove all your message history from WhatsApp's servers.
- Go to Settings > Account > Delete My Account.
- Follow the prompts to confirm the deletion. Note that this action is irreversible and will erase all of your chat history across all devices linked to your account.
By following these steps, you can ensure that your messages are permanently deleted from WhatsApp without any possibility of restoration. This process combines local message deletion with more comprehensive measures such as clearing the cache, disabling backups, and ultimately deleting your WhatsApp account if necessary.