If you clear the chat in WhatsApp, will it be deleted only for me - briefly?
When you clear a chat in WhatsApp, the messages are permanently deleted from your device and cannot be recovered. However, this action does not delete the messages from the other person's device or from WhatsApp's servers.
If you clear the chat in WhatsApp, will it be deleted only for me - in detail?
When a user clears a chat in WhatsApp, they are essentially deleting the messages and media from their own device. This action does not affect the other party's device or the server storage of the messages. Here is a detailed explanation:
- Local Deletion: Clearing a chat on your device removes the messages and associated media (such as photos, videos, and documents) from your local storage. This means you will no longer see those messages in your chat history.
- No Impact on Other Devices: The deletion of messages is not mirrored on the other party's device. The person with whom you were communicating will still have access to the entire chat history, including the messages and media that you deleted from your end.
- Server Storage: WhatsApp stores messages on its servers, which are designed for efficient delivery rather than long-term storage. However, these messages are not permanently stored and can be periodically cleared based on the service's data retention policies. It is important to note that even if a message is deleted from your device, it may still exist temporarily on WhatsApp's servers until it is overwritten by new data or purged according to their policies.
- Backup Considerations: If you have enabled backups for WhatsApp (either on iCloud for iOS users or Google Drive for Android users), the deleted messages will also be removed from your backup storage. This means that if you restore your WhatsApp data from a backup, the cleared messages will not reappear.
In summary, clearing a chat in WhatsApp deletes the messages and media only from your own device. The other party involved in the conversation will still have access to the entire chat history, and the messages may continue to exist temporarily on WhatsApp's servers before being purged according to their data retention policies.