How to Delete WhatsApp Messages (For Everyone or Just You)

Sent the wrong message or shared something you shouldn't have? Learning how to delete WhatsApp messages can save you from awkward situations and help protect your privacy. This guide is perfect for anyone who wants to master WhatsApp message deletion – from parents managing family group chats to professionals who need to unsend work messages quickly.

We'll walk you through the two main deletion options: removing messages just for yourself and using WhatsApp delete for everyone to remove messages from all participants' phones and web. You'll also discover advanced techniques for managing entire conversations and learn important privacy considerations that affect when and how you can delete WhatsApp messages effectively.

What Happens When You Delete WhatsApp Messages

WhatsApp allows two types of deletion:

Delete for Me – Removes the message only from your chat, leaving it visible to recipients.
Delete for Everyone – Removes the message from all participants’ chats, replacing it with:
- "This message was deleted"
- Or "This message was deleted by admin [admin name]" when deleted by a group admin.

You can also edit messages within 15 minutes of sending. Messages cannot be recovered unless included in a backup.

Delete WhatsApp Messages on Android

WhatsApp on Android allows you to delete messages for everyone or just for yourself, giving you full control over your chats. This is especially helpful if you sent a message to the wrong chat or made a mistake. In group chats, admins can also delete problematic messages sent by other members.

Steps to Delete Messages for Everyone on Android:

Open WhatsApp and navigate to the chat containing the message you want to delete.
Tap and hold the message. Optionally, select multiple messages to delete at once.
Tap
→ Delete for Everyone.

Deleting Messages as a Group Admin:

Admins can remove messages sent by other group members to manage content and maintain community rules.
Only admins can delete messages from other members, and this action is permanent.
Other group members will see which admin deleted the message.

Important Notes:

You and the recipients must be using the latest version of WhatsApp.
Recipients using iOS may still have media saved in their Photos, even if the message is deleted from WhatsApp.
Recipients might see the message before it is deleted, or if deletion fails.
You will not be notified if deletion for everyone was unsuccessful.
You have two days after sending a message to request deletion for everyone.

Delete Messages for Yourself

Deleting messages for yourself removes them only from your own chat. Recipients will still see the messages.

Steps to Delete Messages for Yourself on Android:

Open the chat containing the message.
Tap and hold the message. Optionally, select multiple messages.
Tap
→ Delete for Me.
You have 5 seconds to undo this action by tapping Undo before the message is permanently deleted.

Note: Once deleted, messages cannot be recovered unless they were included in a backup. WhatsApp cannot restore deleted messages for you.

Delete WhatsApp Messages on iPhone

On iPhone, WhatsApp allows you to delete messages just for yourself or for everyone. You can also edit a message within 15 minutes after sending it. Keep in mind that once a message is deleted, it cannot be recovered unless it is included in a backup.

Delete Messages for Everyone

Deleting messages for everyone is especially useful if you sent a message to the wrong chat or if the message contains a mistake. In group chats, admins can also delete messages sent by other members to manage content or remove inappropriate messages.

Steps to Delete Messages for Everyone on iPhone:

Open WhatsApp and go to the chat containing the message.
Tap and hold the message, then select
.
Optionally, select multiple messages to delete at once.
If prompted, tap
→
.
Tap
→ Delete for Everyone.

Deleting Messages as a Group Admin:

Admins can delete messages sent by other group members to maintain group rules and community safety.
Only group admins can delete messages sent by others, and this action is permanent and non-recoverable.
Group members will be able to see which admin deleted the message.

Important Notes:

Both you and recipients must be using the latest version of WhatsApp.
Recipients using iOS may still have media saved in their Photos even after the message is deleted.
Recipients might see the message before it is deleted, or if deletion fails.
You will not be notified if deletion for everyone was unsuccessful.
You have two days after sending a message to request deletion for everyone.

Delete Messages for Yourself

Deleting messages for yourself removes them only from your own chat. Recipients will still see the messages in their chat screens.

Steps to Delete Messages for Yourself on iPhone:

Open WhatsApp and navigate to the chat containing the message.
Tap and hold the message, then select
→ Delete for Me.
Optionally, select multiple messages to delete at once.
After choosing Delete for Me, you have 5 seconds to undo the action by tapping Undo before the message is permanently deleted.

Note: Once deleted, messages cannot be recovered unless included in a backup. WhatsApp does not provide a way to restore deleted messages on iPhone.

Delete WhatsApp Messages on Web

On WhatsApp Web, you can delete messages for yourself or for everyone, giving you control over your chat history. You can also edit messages within 15 minutes after sending. Once deleted, messages cannot be recovered unless they are included in a backup

Steps to Delete Messages for Everyone on Web:

Open WhatsApp Web and go to the chat containing the message.
Click
Select Delete message → Delete for Everyone.

Deleting Messages as a Group Admin:

Admins can remove messages sent by other group members to maintain order and remove inappropriate content.
Only admins can delete messages sent by other members, and this action is permanent.
Other group members will see which admin deleted the message.

Important Notes:

You and the recipients must be using the latest version of WhatsApp.
Recipients using iOS may still have media saved in their Photos, even after the message is deleted from the chat.
Recipients might see the message before it is deleted, or if deletion fails.
You will not be notified if deletion for everyone was unsuccessful.
You have two days after sending a message to request deletion for everyone.

Delete Messages for Yourself

Deleting messages for yourself removes them only from your own chat. Recipients will still see the messages in their chat.

Steps to Delete Messages for Yourself on Web:

Open the chat containing the message.
Click
Select Delete message → Delete for Me.
After choosing Delete for Me, you have 5 seconds to undo this action by clicking Undo before the message is permanently deleted.

Note: Once deleted, messages cannot be recovered unless included in a backup. WhatsApp does not provide a way to restore deleted messages on Web.

Conclusion

Knowing how to delete WhatsApp messages ensures you can manage your chat privacy efficiently. Whether correcting mistakes, moderating group chats, or clearing your own messages, WhatsApp provides clear, platform-specific tools for Android, iPhone, and Web. Always keep your app updated to access the latest deletion features.