Can I Unsend a Facebook message?

Facebook allows you to unsend messages, but only for a limited time. When you use Facebook Messenger to send a message, you have up to 10 minutes to unsend or delete that message. This can be useful if you notice a mistake or typo immediately after sending a message, or if you change your mind about what you said.

How Do I Unsend a Message on Facebook?

Unsending a Facebook message is easy, but as mentioned there is a time limit. Here are the steps:

1. Open the Facebook Messenger app on your mobile device or navigate to www.facebook.com in a desktop browser.
2. Open the conversation with the message you want to unsend.
3. Tap and hold or hover over the message.
4. Tap or click the trash can icon that appears.
5. A confirmation box will pop up – tap or click “Remove” to confirm you want to delete the message.

The message will be immediately deleted for you. However, if more than 10 minutes have passed since sending the message, the trash icon will not appear and you will not be able to remove the message.

Does Unsending Delete the Message for Everyone?

When you use the steps above to unsend a Facebook message, it is removed from the conversation thread for you, but not necessarily for everyone. Here is what happens when you unsend a message:

• For group conversations, the message will be deleted for all participants if it is unsent within 10 minutes of sending.
• For one-on-one conversations, the message will be deleted only for you. The recipient can still see the message in their chat window.

So in summary, unsending gives you a short window to remove embarrassing or unwanted messages before others see them, but only in group chats. For private conversations, the recipient will still have access to the message even if you unsend it.

Does the Recipient Get Notified if I Unsend a Message?

When you unsend a message on Facebook Messenger, whether in a group chat or one-on-one, the recipient will not receive any notification that the message was removed. The message will simply disappear from their chat window.

Some things to keep in mind:

• In a one-on-one chat, the recipient may still see a notification preview of the message on their lock screen before it is unsent.
• If the recipient has already viewed and read the message before it’s unsent, they will still have seen the content.
• There is no notification to other parties that a message has been removed by the sender.

So while unsending removes the message from view, recipients may still have glimpsed the content before it was deleted. There is no way to know if or when someone has read a message before it is removed.

Can I Unsend Old Messages or After 10 Minutes?

Unfortunately, Facebook only allows you to unsend messages within 10 minutes of sending them. There is no way to remove or delete old messages that have already been seen.

Some things to note about the time limit:

• The 10 minute window starts as soon as you hit send on the message.
• The time limit applies to both group chats and one-on-one messages.
• You cannot unsend a message even seconds after the time limit has passed.

Facebook does not allow any exceptions to the 10 minute rule. Once time has elapsed, the option to unsend will disappear and cannot be retrieved.

Does Unsending Prevent Screenshots?

When you unsend a Facebook message, it removes the content from the chat window. However, that does not prevent the recipient from capturing a screenshot before the message disappears.

Some things to keep in mind:

• In a one-on-one chat, the recipient will still have access to the message content even after you unsend.
• In a group chat, a participant could screenshot your message before the 10 minute deletion window.
• There is no way to prevent screenshots or control if someone saves your message.

The ability to screenshot means you should be careful about sensitive information even in unsent messages. Assume anything you send, even for a short time, could be recorded by the recipient.

Can I Delete Messages for Everyone?

Unlike WhatsApp, Instagram, and other platforms, Facebook Messenger does not allow you to permanently delete or remove a message from a chat for all participants. The unsend feature only works for a short time and does not allow deleting old messages.

Some limitations include:

• There is no “delete for everyone” option to remove a message from a group chat.
• In one-on-one chats, you can only unsend a message from your own view, not the recipient’s.
• Once the 10 minute window has expired, there is no way to delete a message for all chat members.

So Facebook does not provide any tool to delete old or embarrassing messages. Once seen by others, a message cannot be removed from their chat history without deleting the entire conversation.

Can I Unsend Photos or Videos?

The unsend feature works for all message types – you can delete photos, videos, GIFs, or text within 10 minutes of sending on Facebook Messenger.

To unsend non-text content like media:

1. Tap and hold the photo/video you want to remove.
2. Tap the trash icon to unsend.
3. Confirm by tapping Remove.

The same 10 minute time limitation applies. Note that preview thumbnails of videos/photos may still display briefly before being unsent.

Does Unsending Prevent Forwarded Messages?

When you unsend a message on Messenger, it removes the content from the immediate chat. But if the message has already been forwarded or shared outside that chat, unsending will not delete those forwards.

Some things to keep in mind:

• If a chat participant forwards your message before you unsend, that forward will still exist.
• You have no control over screenshots or messages forwarded outside the original chat.
• Unsending only deletes the message from the specific conversation where it was originally sent.

For this reason, be very cautious about sensitive information in any message, even if you attempt to unsend it shortly after sending. Copies could still exist.

Can I Unsend Messages in Messenger Kids?

Messenger Kids is a version of Facebook Messenger for children under 13 years old. In Messenger Kids, there is no option to unsend or delete messages.

Key things to know about Messenger Kids:

• All messages in chats remain and cannot be deleted, even by parents.
• The 10 minute unsend window available in main Messenger does not exist.
• Parents can report conversations or contacts, but cannot delete specific messages.

So all Messenger Kids conversations are permanent and unsending is not an option. Parents should monitor their child’s chats and contacts to ensure appropriate messaging.

Can I Unsend Messages on Facebook Workplace?

Workplace by Facebook is a separate platform meant for businesses and professional communication. The unsend feature works differently in Workplace than in standard Messenger.

Key differences include:

• Users can unsend messages in Workplace groups and teams for up to 10 minutes after sending.
• In one-on-one Workplace chats, messages cannot be unsent at all.
• Deleting a Workplace message only removes it from view, not group or chat histories.

So Workplace allows unsending in group conversations only. One-on-one messages are permanent and cannot be deleted even shortly after sending.

Is There a Way to Permanently Erase Messages?

Unfortunately, beyond the limited unsend window, there is no way to permanently erase or delete a message you’ve sent from Facebook Messenger.

Some options to consider:

• You can choose to delete an entire conversation thread if you want to permanently remove a message.
• Blocking another user will also delete your messages from their view.
• Reporting offensive messages to Facebook may eventually result in their removal.

But there is no targeted way to selectively or permanently delete an older sent message from view for all chat members. You would have to remove the entire chat history.

Can I Get in Trouble if I Unsend Inappropriate Messages?

Facebook does allow sending and unsending messages within 10 minutes. But you could get in trouble with Facebook or legally if you send inappropriate, abusive, or illegal content.

Some risks include:

• Sending threatening, harassing, or unwanted sexual messages can result in Facebook banning you.
• Even if unsent, abusive messages may still be reported by the recipient.
• Law enforcement can subpoena Facebook to investigate illegal messaging activity.

So you should avoid sending any inappropriate content on Messenger, even as a joke. Unsending does not erase your liability for what you send.

Conclusion

Facebook Messenger’s unsend feature allows you to remove a message from a conversation thread within 10 minutes of sending it. This can let you quickly fix mistakes or delete unintended messages. However, recipients may still see and screenshot the message before it’s deleted. And there is no way to permanently erase old messages that you’ve sent and that have already been seen. So the unsend feature has limitations, especially for private one-on-one conversations. Overall it provides a short window to undo minor messaging mistakes, but does not allow full deletion of previously sent messages from people’s inboxes or chat histories.

Platform	Can I unsend?	Time limit to unsend	Notifies recipient?
Facebook Messenger	Yes	10 minutes	No
WhatsApp	Yes	1 hour	Yes
Signal	No	N/A	N/A
iMessage	No	N/A	N/A

Summary of Facebook Messenger Unsend Key Points

• You have up to 10 minutes after sending a message to unsend or delete it.
• In group chats, the message will be deleted for all participants.
• In private chats, the message will be deleted only from your view.
• Recipients do not get any notification when you unsend.
• You cannot unsend messages older than 10 minutes.
• Unsending does not prevent screenshots or forwards from other recipients.
• There is no “delete for everyone” option to permanently erase old messages.
• Photos, videos, and other media can also be unsent within 10 minutes.

In summary, the unsend feature on Facebook Messenger provides a limited ability to undo messaging mistakes or removals shortly after sending something. But it does not allow permanent deletions or workarounds for embarrassing content that has already been seen.