If you’ve ever sent a message in WhatsApp and instantly regretted it, don’t worry, you’re not alone. We’ve all been there at some point. But thankfully, WhatsApp offers a feature that allows you to delete messages after sending them. In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of deleting WhatsApp messages, whether it’s a text, photo, video, or any other type of message.
Step 1: Open WhatsApp
The first step in deleting a message on WhatsApp is to open the app on your device. Once you’re in the app, navigate to the chat where the message you want to delete is located.
Step 2: Locate the Message
Once you’re in the chat, scroll to find the specific message you want to delete. You can delete text messages, photos, videos, documents, and even recordings in WhatsApp, so identify the message you wish to remove.
Step 3: Tap and Hold the Message
Now, tap and hold the message you want to delete. If you want to delete multiple messages at once, you can select more messages by tapping on each one. This is particularly useful when you want to delete several messages in the same conversation.
Step 4: Select “Delete for Everyone”
After selecting the message(s) you want to delete, look for the trash can icon or the delete option on the screen. Tap on “Delete for Everyone” to remove the message not only from your chat but also from the chat of the person or group you sent it to.
Step 5: Confirm Deletion
WhatsApp will ask for confirmation before deleting the message. Confirm that you want to delete the message by tapping “Delete” or “Ok.” Once you confirm, the message will be deleted for both you and the recipient(s).
Step 6: Deleted Message Notification
When you successfully delete a message on WhatsApp, a notification will appear in the chat that says, “This message was deleted.” This notification lets the chat members know that a message was removed.
Step 7: Message Deletion Limit
It’s important to note that there is a time limit for deleting messages on WhatsApp. You can only delete messages for everyone within 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 16 seconds after sending them. After this time frame, the option to delete for everyone will no longer be available.
Step 8: Deleting Messages in Groups
If you’re deleting messages in a group chat, keep in mind that everyone in the group will be able to see that you deleted a message. The notification “This message was deleted” will be visible to all group members.
Step 9: Deleting Various Message Types
WhatsApp allows you to delete different types of messages, including text, photos, videos, GIFs, documents, location shares, voice messages, and more. The process of deleting these messages is the same as described earlier.
Step 10: Benefits of Deleting Messages
Deleting messages on WhatsApp can be beneficial in various situations, whether you sent a message to the wrong person, made a typo, or shared something by accident. It’s a useful feature to have to maintain communication privacy and clarity.
Step 11: Ensuring Message Deletion
After deleting a message on WhatsApp, you can rest assured that it has been removed from the chat for all participants. However, remember that deleted messages can’t be retrieved, so make sure you want to delete them before confirming the action.
Step 12: Practice Deleting Messages
Now that you know how to delete messages on WhatsApp, practice using this feature in different scenarios to become more familiar with the process. Whether it’s in a one-on-one chat or a group conversation, deleting messages can help you manage your WhatsApp communication effectively.
