How to Delete Delivered WhatsApp Messages

WhatsApp does not offer a built-in feature to delete messages that have already been delivered to the recipient’s device. Once a message is delivered, it is stored on the recipient’s device and cannot be remotely deleted by the sender.

However, WhatsApp does provide a feature called “Delete for Everyone” that allows you to delete messages you have sent, but there are some limitations to this feature:

Delete for Everyone Limitations:

1. Time Limit: You can only delete messages for everyone within a specific time frame after sending them. On Android, you have approximately 7 minutes and 2 seconds to delete a message for everyone. On iOS (iPhone), you have approximately 68 minutes.
2. Recipient’s Version: The recipient must also have a version of WhatsApp that supports the “Delete for Everyone” feature. If they are using an outdated version of WhatsApp or a different messaging app, they may still see the message.
3. No Notification: If you delete a message for everyone, the recipient will not receive any notification that you deleted the message. However, they may notice that the message has been removed if they check the chat.

Steps to Delete a WhatsApp Message for Everyone:

1. Open the chat where you sent the message you want to delete.
2. Find the message you want to delete.
3. Tap and hold the message bubble until a menu appears at the top of the screen.
4. In the menu, tap on the “Delete” icon (it looks like a trash can).
5. WhatsApp will then show you three options:
   • Delete for Me: This option will only delete the message from your chat, leaving it visible to the recipient.
   • Cancel: This option will cancel the deletion process.
   • Delete for Everyone: This is the option you want to choose to delete the message from both your chat and the recipient’s chat.
6. Tap “Delete for Everyone.”
7. WhatsApp will confirm that the message has been deleted. The recipient will see “This message was deleted” in the chat.

Remember that the “Delete for Everyone” feature has a time limit, so you must act quickly if you want to remove a delivered message for both yourself and the recipient. After the time limit expires, you won’t be able to delete the message for everyone.