What happens if you delete a conversation in WhatsApp - briefly?
Deleting a conversation in WhatsApp removes the messages from your device but not from the recipient's device. The conversation will still be available on the recipient's phone unless they also delete it.
What happens if you delete a conversation in WhatsApp - in detail?
When you delete a conversation in WhatsApp, several changes occur within the app. Here is a detailed breakdown of what happens:
Firstly, deleting a conversation removes all messages and media exchanged with that specific contact or group from your device. This includes text messages, images, videos, voice notes, and any other type of files sent within the chat. The action is irreversible; once deleted, these messages cannot be retrieved through WhatsApp itself.
Secondly, while the messages are removed from your device, they may still exist on the recipient's device until they decide to delete them as well. This means that if you have sent sensitive or private information, it is advisable to inform the recipient about the deletion to ensure they also remove their copies.
Thirdly, even after deleting a conversation, WhatsApp retains certain metadata related to the chat. This can include timestamps, delivery receipts, and read receipts. However, the actual content of the messages is not stored by WhatsApp once they are deleted from both devices.
Fourthly, if you choose to delete a conversation on one device, such as your phone, but want to keep it on another device, like your tablet, you need to be careful. Deleting the chat on one device will not automatically delete it on other devices where you are using the same WhatsApp account. You must manually delete the conversation from each device separately if that is your intention.
Lastly, deleting a conversation does not affect your WhatsApp contacts list. The contact or group remains in your address book, and you can start a new chat with them at any time. However, initiating a new chat will create a fresh history, separate from the deleted one.
In summary, deleting a conversation in WhatsApp permanently removes all message content from your device but does not guarantee removal from recipients' devices or from certain metadata retained by WhatsApp. It is important to manage and communicate about deletions carefully, especially when dealing with sensitive information.