WhatsApp Delete for Both: How It Works

WhatsApp’s “Delete for Everyone” feature lets you remove a sent message from both your phone and the recipient’s phone, but only within a limited time window and under specific conditions. This article explains exactly how to use it, what the limits are, and why it sometimes fails.

What Is Delete for Everyone?

Introduced in 2017 and refined over the years, “Delete for Everyone” (also called “unsend”) is a WhatsApp feature that removes a message you’ve sent from the chat thread on both sides. When it works, the recipient sees “This message was deleted” in place of your original text, photo, video, or file. It’s different from “Delete for Me,” which only removes the message from your own device while the recipient still sees it.

How to Delete a Message for Both

The steps are nearly identical on Android, iPhone, and WhatsApp Web/Desktop. You must act within the time limit, which is currently 2 days and 12 hours (about 60 hours) for most message types. Here’s how:

Open the chat containing the message you want to delete.
Press and hold (long-press) the message. On a computer, hover over the message and click the downward arrow or right-click.
Tap or click the trash icon (or “Delete” in the menu).
Choose “Delete for Everyone” from the options that appear.
Confirm if prompted. The message will be replaced with “This message was deleted” on both devices.

If you don’t see “Delete for Everyone” as an option, it means the time limit has passed or the feature isn’t available for that message type.

Time Limits and What Counts

The 2-day-12-hour window applies to standard text messages, images, videos, GIFs, voice messages, documents, and even status replies. However, there are exceptions:

After the limit: You can only delete for yourself, not for everyone.
Forwarded messages: If the recipient has already forwarded your message to someone else, the forwarded copy cannot be recalled.
Group chats: You can delete for everyone in a group, but if someone has already taken a screenshot or saved the media, you can’t undo that.
Encrypted chats: In end-to-end encrypted chats, the deletion request is sent as a new encrypted message, which is why it requires the recipient’s phone to be online to process it.

Why Delete for Everyone Sometimes Fails

Even within the time limit, deletion can fail. The most common reasons:

Recipient is offline: If their phone has no internet connection when you send the deletion request, WhatsApp may not deliver it before the time limit expires. The original message stays visible.
Old WhatsApp version: The recipient must have a version of WhatsApp that supports “Delete for Everyone.” If they haven’t updated, they’ll still see the original message.
You’re on an old version: The feature is only available on recent versions of WhatsApp, so update your app if the option is missing.
Message type: Some messages, like those sent in a broadcast list, may not support deletion for everyone.

If the deletion fails, you’ll see a notification saying “You deleted this message” but the recipient may still see it. There’s no way to force deletion on their device.

What Happens After You Delete?

Once you delete for everyone, the message is removed from both chat threads, but it’s not necessarily gone forever. WhatsApp servers may retain a copy for a short time for delivery purposes, but it’s not accessible to you or the recipient. However, if the recipient had already backed up the chat before deletion, the original message might still appear in a backup restore. Also, if they had notifications enabled, the message content might have appeared in a notification preview before deletion.

Common Misconceptions

Many users believe “Delete for Everyone” removes the message from the recipient’s phone completely, including any copies in notifications or backups. That’s not true. The feature only removes it from the chat thread. It does not delete screenshots, forwarded copies, or notification history. Also, some think the time limit is 7 minutes (as it was originally), but it’s now much longer. Always check the official WhatsApp FAQ for the current limit.

Alternatives to Deleting for Everyone

If you can’t delete for everyone, or if you want to avoid the issue altogether, consider these options:

Edit a message: WhatsApp now allows editing messages within 15 minutes of sending. This can fix typos or change content without deleting.
Delete for me: If you only want to clear the message from your own view, use “Delete for Me.” The recipient still sees it.
Disappearing messages: Turn on disappearing messages in a chat so that all messages automatically delete after a set time (24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days). This doesn’t help with a specific message already sent, but it’s useful for ongoing conversations.
Be careful before sending: The best prevention is to double-check the recipient, content, and tone before hitting send, especially in group chats.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do I have to delete a message for everyone on WhatsApp?

As of now, you have 2 days and 12 hours (about 60 hours) from the time you send the message. The countdown starts when the message is sent, not when it’s delivered.

Can I delete a message for everyone after the recipient has read it?

Yes, as long as you’re within the time limit. The recipient may have read it, but you can still delete it for everyone. They’ll see “This message was deleted” instead of the content.

Why doesn’t “Delete for Everyone” work on my WhatsApp?

It could be because you or the recipient have an outdated version of WhatsApp, the time limit has passed, the message type doesn’t support it, or the recipient’s phone is offline. Update your app and try again quickly.

Does “Delete for Everyone” remove the message from backups?

No. If the recipient has a backup that includes the message, restoring from that backup may bring the message back. The deletion only affects the live chat thread.

Can I delete a message for everyone in a group chat?

Yes, you can delete any message you sent in a group for everyone, as long as you’re within the time limit. However, if someone has already forwarded it or taken a screenshot, you can’t recall those copies.

What’s the difference between “Delete for Me” and “Delete for Everyone”?

“Delete for Me” removes the message only from your device. The recipient still sees it. “Delete for Everyone” removes it from both sides, replacing it with a note that it was deleted.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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