How To Delete Messages From Both Sides On iPhone – Full Guide ( @GuideRealmVideos )
How To Delete Messages From Both Sides On iPhone: A Complete Guide
There are times when you might want to delete a message from both your iPhone and the recipient’s device—whether it’s a personal message you’d like to remove or a mistake you made that you want to correct. Thankfully, iPhones have a feature that lets you unsend or delete messages in certain circumstances. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to delete messages from both sides on iPhone.
Why Would You Want to Delete Messages?
Deleting messages from both sides is useful in several scenarios:
- Accidental Sends: Sometimes, you may send a message to the wrong person, or a message may be sent by accident.
- Privacy Concerns: You may have shared information or made a comment that you later regret.
- Mistaken Information: If you shared incorrect or outdated information, you might want to delete the message to avoid confusion.
Can You Delete Messages from Both Sides on iPhone?
You might be wondering: Can you really delete a message from both sides? The answer depends on the messaging platform you’re using:
- iMessage: If both you and the recipient are using iPhones, it is possible to delete iMessages from both sides using the “Undo Send” feature (available on iOS 16 and later).
- SMS Messages: Unfortunately, you cannot delete SMS messages (green bubble texts) from both sides. Once an SMS is sent, it remains on the recipient’s device unless they manually delete it.
For iMessages, Apple has made it easier to remove sent messages, but there are some limits. Let’s explore how to delete messages from both sides on iPhone using the available tools.
How to Delete iMessages from Both Sides
If you’re running iOS 16 or later, you can unsend messages in iMessage chats. Here’s how:
Step 1: Open the Messages App
- Unlock your iPhone and open the Messages app from your home screen.
Step 2: Find the Message You Want to Delete
- Scroll through your conversations and locate the iMessage you want to delete from both sides.
Step 3: Tap and Hold the Message
- Once you’ve found the message, press and hold the bubble of the message you want to delete.
Step 4: Select “Undo Send”
- A menu will appear with several options. Tap Undo Send. This will remove the message from both your device and the recipient’s device, provided they are using iMessage and haven’t read it yet.
Important Notes:
- Time Limit: You can only unsend a message within 2 minutes after sending it.
- Recipient Notification: The recipient may still see that a message was deleted, as they may receive a notification stating, “This message was unsent.”
How to Delete Messages from Only Your Side (for iMessages and SMS)
If you only want to delete messages from your side (and not the recipient’s device), follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the Message
- Open the Messages app and go to the conversation containing the message you want to delete.
Step 2: Tap and Hold the Message
- Tap and hold the message bubble until a menu pops up.
Step 3: Select “Delete”
- Tap Delete. This will remove the message from your device only, but it will remain on the recipient’s device.
If you want to delete multiple messages, you can follow the same steps but select More in the menu, then select the messages you want to delete and tap Delete at the bottom.
How to Delete an Entire Conversation
If you prefer to delete an entire conversation from both sides, it is possible to do so, but only on your device. The recipient will still have the conversation unless they also delete it.
Step 1: Open the Messages App
- Launch the Messages app.
Step 2: Swipe Left on the Conversation
- In the conversation list, swipe left on the conversation you want to delete.
Step 3: Tap “Delete”
- Tap the Delete button to remove the entire conversation from your device. This will erase all messages in that conversation from your phone, but the recipient will still have the messages on their device.
How to Delete Messages from Both Sides in Group Chats
If you’re in a group chat and want to delete a message from both sides, you can use the Undo Send feature if you’re running iOS 16 or later. The steps are the same as for individual messages:
- Open the group chat.
- Tap and hold the message you want to delete.
- Select Undo Send.
As with individual messages, you’ll have 2 minutes to unsend a message. If you don’t undo it in time, the message will stay on both your device and the group members’ devices.
What Happens If You Can’t Unsend a Message?
If the recipient has already seen the message or if it’s outside the 2-minute window, you won’t be able to unsend it. However, you can still delete the message from your side by using the Delete option in the context menu.
Conclusion
Deleting messages from both sides on iPhone is possible in certain scenarios, especially if you’re using iMessage and running iOS 16 or later. The Undo Send feature allows you to remove a message within 2 minutes of sending it, but if you miss that window, you can still delete the message from your side. Unfortunately, deleting SMS messages (green bubble texts) from both sides is not possible on iPhone.
Always be mindful of the time frame and the limits of message deletion when using iPhone’s messaging features. And remember, while you can delete or unsend messages from your device, the recipient may still have a copy unless they take action as well.
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