How to delete SMS in a WhatsApp group for everyone?

How to delete SMS in a WhatsApp group for everyone - briefly?

To delete an SMS from a WhatsApp group for all members, the message must be deleted within 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 16 seconds of sending it. Only the sender can initiate this action.

How to delete SMS in a WhatsApp group for everyone - in detail?

Deleting an SMS message in a WhatsApp group chat so that it disappears for all participants is a task that many users seek to accomplish. However, it's important to note that WhatsApp does not currently offer a direct feature allowing messages to be deleted from the chats of other users. Once a message has been sent and delivered, it becomes part of the recipient's chat history and cannot be removed by the sender.

However, there are some strategies and workarounds you can consider:

1. Delete for Yourself: While this does not delete the message from others' chats, you can remove the message from your own view. To do this:

   • Open WhatsApp and go to the group chat where the message is located.
   • Long-press on the message you want to delete until a menu appears.
   • Select "Delete" from the options provided.
   • Confirm that you want to delete the message for yourself.

2. Use the 'Delete for Everyone' Feature: If you realize your mistake within seven minutes of sending the message, you can use WhatsApp’s “Delete for Everyone” feature:

   • Open WhatsApp and go to the group chat where the message is located.
   • Long-press on the message you want to delete until a menu appears.
   • Select "Delete" from the options provided.
   • Choose "Delete for Everyone." This will remove the message from everyone's chat, provided they haven't seen it yet or their phone is offline.

3. Ask Group Members: If the message has already been read by others and you cannot use “Delete for Everyone,” your best option is to ask group members to delete the message manually from their own devices:

   • Inform the group that you sent a message in error and would like them to delete it.
   • Provide clear instructions on how they can do this (long-pressing on the message and selecting “Delete”).

4. Use WhatsApp Web: If you are using WhatsApp Web, the process is similar:

   • Hover over the message until a small trash icon appears at the top right corner of the message bubble.
   • Click on the trash icon to delete the message for yourself or use “Delete for Everyone” if it’s within seven minutes of sending.

It's crucial to act quickly if you need to delete a message for everyone, as the time window for using "Delete for Everyone" is limited. Always remember that once a message has been read or downloaded by recipients, it becomes part of their chat history and cannot be deleted remotely.