We‘ve all sent a text message we wish we could take back. According to a 2021 study, over 25% of smartphone users have experienced "message regret" – wishing they could undo a sent text.
I‘m Lim, a social media marketing guru and the founder of Followchain. In my decade of experience advising social media professionals, embarrassing and unintended messages are a common issue my clients face.
And as more conversations happen over messaging apps, the chances you‘ll eventually send something you regret only goes up. Maybe a typo completely changed the meaning of your message. Or perhaps auto-correct mangled your words so badly your friend thinks you‘re having a stroke! 😳
The good news is Messenger allows you to delete sent messages, essentially erasing them from the digital record. You can even remove texts from both sides of the conversation, avoiding awkward explanations about your mistake.
In this guide, you‘ll learn:
- Why you need to know how to delete Messenger messages
- The 4 simple steps to erase texts from both chat views
- FAQs on the nuances of unsending messages
- Pro tips to prevent message mistakes in the first place
So let‘s dive in and master the art of covering up message blunders!
3 Solid Reasons You Need to Know How to Delete Messenger Messages
Being able to erase regrettable messages on Messenger saves you trouble down the line. Here are key reasons it‘s an important skill:
1. Fix potentially relationship-damaging messages
Have you ever sent a text immediately after drafting it, only to reread it later with fresh eyes and realize just how bad it sounds?
Maybe you made a poor joke that could be interpreted as malicious. Or harshly phrased criticism that seemed fine at 3 AM but feels unconscionable in the sober light of day. 😬
These relationship slip-ups happen between:
- Friends
- Family members
- Romantic partners
- Colleagues
Without Messenger‘s deletion capabilities, you‘d have to own up to the gaffe and smooth things over.
But deleting regrettable messages avoids confrontation altogether, erasing your mistake as if it never happened.
2. Cover up unintentionally offensive language
Even the most progressive, open-minded people mess up language sometimes. You might say something ignorant without realizing it. Or auto-correct could warp an innocent message into something vulgar or inappropriate.
When these slip-ups get sent to the wrong recipient, deleting is damage control.
Unsending offensive messages on Messenger prevents the recipient from seeing the harmful language in the first place. No one gets hurt and you avoid having to explain yourself.
3. Keep private information actually private
Have you ever accidentally sent someone personal information like:
- Your phone number/email
- Private photos
- Address
- Health details
These messages feel catastrophic the moment your finger taps send! Without Messenger‘s life-saving unsend feature, you can‘t take it back.
Deleting these messages minimizes the chances of others exploiting or leaking sensitive info. Your privacy stays protected!
Now that you know why unsending Messenger messages is so vital, let‘s get into the step-by-step process.
How to Delete Messenger Messages in 4 Foolproof Steps
Thankfully, Messenger makes it simple to erase your texts from the digital record. Just follow these steps:
Step 1: Tap and Hold the Rogue Message
Open Messenger and navigate to the regrettable message crime you want wiped from the chat log.
Firmly press and hold your finger on the message bubble for 2-3 seconds, as if keeping a secret button pressed in a spy movie!
This activates Messenger‘s unsend capabilities. It works the same way as deleting messages in WhatsApp or Telegram.
Step 2: Select "More" From the Bottom Options
When you lift your finger after the James Bond-esque tap and hold, you‘ll see a few options pop up at the screen‘s bottom:
- Reply
- Forward
- More
Select the More ellipses to expand Messenger‘s settings menu.
Step 3: Choose "Remove" From the Next Set of Options
Tapping More makes two new options appear:
- Remove
- Copy
Choose Remove to cue up the message deletion settings.
Pro Tip: Select Copy if you want to copy the message text before erasing it.
Step 4: Select "Unsend" to Delete That Bad Boy
Finally, select Unsend to delete the regrettable message from both sides of the convo.
If you choose Remove for You, it only deletes messages from your view. To fully destroy evidence of the message, you need to Unsend.
And boom 💥 – that cringey, offensive, unintentionally wrong, or too-personal message disappears as if you never hit send in the first place!
Wait, Can People Tell a Message Was Deleted?
Nope! Recipients have zero indication a message was removed from the conversation.
Unlike email, Messenger doesn‘t send undeletable "This message was deleted" notes.
Messages deleted using the Unsend option simply vanish. Poof! The only sign is a small gap in the convo thread.
So your message mistakes can remain your dirty little secrets!
Got Lingering Questions? Messenger Deletion FAQs:
You probably still have some questions about managing message mistakes. Below I‘ve answered the most common Messenger deletion queries:
Does deleting a conversation remove it for the other people?
Unfortunately, no. Tapping into a Messenger convo and selecting Delete Thread will only erase messages from your inbox.
Everyone else will still see the full back-and-forth if they scroll up.
To delete an entire convo from both sides, you need to manually Unsend every single message. That‘s the only way to nuke it out of existence for all parties.
What‘s the time limit to unsend a Messenger message?
You have up to 10 minutes after sending to delete a Messenger message.
To be safe, try to catch embarrassing slip-ups within 30-60 seconds. But for most scenarios that hour buffer is ample time.
Exceptions are messages sent while you‘re asleep – that‘s asking too much of even the most savvy, responsible texters amongst us! 😆
Can I recover a message after I unsend it?
Unfortunately, no. Once it‘s gone the only way to recover the content is if the other person screenshots your message before you erase it.
So all the more reason to act fast if you mistakenly delete something you meant to keep!
What happens if I delete messages someone already saw?
Great question! Even if someone reads your flub, deleting it still limits damage.
Out of sight, out of mind. Removing the message from the convo makes it less likely the person will dwell, react poorly, or reshare it.
And if they bring it up later, you can feign innocence:
"Hmm, I don‘t know WHAT you thought you saw but I certainly didn‘t say that!" 😉
Now that you know the ins and outs of vanishing regrettable Messenger messages, let‘s talk prevention.
7 Pro Tips to Stop Accidental Message Mishaps Before They Start
While Messenger‘s deletion capabilities are invaluable, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Use these pro tips I‘ve honed over my 10+ year social media marketing career to avoid cringey messaging mistakes:
1. Double (or triple!) check recipients before pressing send.
Mis-sending private messages is my clients‘ #1 messaging nightmare.
Slow down and confirm you‘ve picked the right thread before allowing sensitive info into the digital wilderness.
2. Set up autoreview for messages containing private data.
Many smartphones allow you to set up autoreview filters, like:
- Flagging messages with your email or address
- Prompting review of messages with keywords like "phone number"
Turn this on so you can undo quickly!
3. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA).
Adding an extra layer of security ensures only YOU can access your Messenger account, even if your password gets phished.
Prevent messaging mix-ups if your login gets compromised. Set up 2FA!
4. Adjust keyboard settings to prevent auto-correct cursing and offensive language.
Does your phone consistently try changing "vacation days" to "v&@#$&on days"? 😆 Disable curse auto-correct and add custom dictionaries to improve suggestions.
5. Proofread messages aloud before sending.
Our brains auto-correct tiny errors when reading silently. But saying a message out loud highlights mistakes and clunky phrasing we‘d otherwise miss!
6. Set self-messaging reminders to proofread important messages.
Use scheduler apps like Boomerang to auto-alert yourself 5 minutes after sending an emotionally loaded message. Then you can review with fresh eyes!
7. Unsend ASAP if you DO mess up.
Despite best practices, mistakes happen. But deleting quickly limits how many people see your slip-up before it vanishes!
Whew, those pro tips will help you text, post, and message like a pro across all your go-to apps!
Now that you‘re a master at both cleaning up AND avoiding messaging mishaps, let‘s wrap this up.
Let‘s Recap: Now You Know How to Delete Messenger Messages Like a Pro
Accidentally sending cringey messages is a universal experience in the digital age. But you no longer have to suffer serious consequences for your slip-ups!
Thanks to Messenger‘s unsend capabilities, you can erase regrettable texts as if they never existed in the first place.
Just remember to:
✅ Tap and hold the message
✅ Select More to access deletion options
✅ Choose Remove from the next menu
✅ Finally, select Unsend to delete from both chat views
Doing this quickly ensures barely anyone sees your mistake before it vanishes. And with the right settings, you may be able to avoid blunders entirely.
So breathe easy knowing you have the power to cover up messaging mishaps!
Have you ever had to delete an unintended Messenger message? Or used these pro tips to avoid mix-ups? Share your thoughts below!
