If you clear a WhatsApp chat, will it be cleared for the recipient as well - briefly?
No, clearing your side of a WhatsApp chat does not affect the recipient's chat. The action only removes messages from your device.
If you clear a WhatsApp chat, will it be cleared for the recipient as well - in detail?
When you delete a WhatsApp chat from your device, the action only affects your local copy of the conversation. The messages and media you delete are removed from your phone's storage but remain on the servers and in the recipient’s chat history. This means that while you no longer see the deleted content on your end, the recipient will still have access to all the messages and files unless they also choose to delete their copy of the conversation independently.
It is essential to understand that WhatsApp operates with a server-based system where conversations are backed up and stored. When you delete a message or chat from your device, it does not transmit any deletion command to the recipient's phone or to the servers holding the data. Therefore, the recipient’s chat history remains unaffected by your local deletions.
In summary, clearing a WhatsApp chat on your device will not clear it for the recipient as well. The recipient’s chat history and any backups they have made will remain intact until they take their own actions to delete the conversation from their end.