If you delete an unread message in WhatsApp, what happens to the sender's copy - briefly?
Deleting an unread message on WhatsApp does not affect the sender's copy of the message. The sender will still see the message in their chat history as delivered and read if they have enabled read receipts.
If you delete an unread message in WhatsApp, what happens to the sender's copy - in detail?
When a user deletes an unread message in WhatsApp, the action primarily affects their own device and does not directly impact the sender's copy of the message. Here's a detailed breakdown of what happens:
- Local Deletion: The deletion only removes the message from the recipient's local storage on their device. This means that the message disappears from the chat history on the recipient's end but remains visible on the sender's device and any other devices where the recipient is logged in with the same WhatsApp account.
- No Notification to Sender: The sender is not notified about the deletion of the message. They will continue to see the message in their chat history as if it were still present on the recipient's device. This ensures that the conversation flow remains uninterrupted from the sender's perspective.
- Message Status: If the message was sent with a read receipt (double check marks), deleting an unread message will not change its status. The message will continue to show as unread for the sender, indicating that it has not been opened by the recipient.
- Media Files: If the deleted message contains media files such as images or videos, these files are also removed from the recipient's device but remain accessible in the sender's chat history and any other devices linked to the recipient's WhatsApp account.
- Group Chats: In group chats, deleting an unread message works similarly. The message will be removed from the recipient's local storage but remain visible for all other participants in the group chat, including the sender.
- No Backup on Cloud Storage: Deleting a message does not affect WhatsApp's cloud backup. If the recipient has enabled cloud backups and the message was included in the last backup, it will still be present in the backup data even after local deletion.
In summary, deleting an unread message in WhatsApp is a local action that affects only the recipient's device. The sender's copy of the message remains unaffected, and they are not informed about the deletion. This design ensures privacy for the recipient while maintaining the integrity of the conversation from the sender's viewpoint.