No, unfortunately there is no native Facebook feature that allows you to delete all of your Facebook messages at once. Facebook does not provide a “select all” option for messages that would enable users to mass delete conversations. However, there are some workarounds and third party tools that can help you delete Facebook messages in bulk.
Why You Might Want To Delete Facebook Messages
Here are some common reasons why people want to delete their Facebook messages:
- Privacy – You want to permanently remove old or embarrassing conversations from your account.
- Storage – Your message inbox is taking up too much space and you want to free up room.
- Leaving Facebook – You’re deactivating your account and want to wipe your messaging history.
- Start Fresh – You want to remove old conversations and start over with a clean slate.
- Too Many Messages – You have thousands of messages that are cluttering up your inbox.
Whatever your reason, deleting Facebook messages in bulk can be a tedious task if you have to remove them one thread at a time. That’s why people look for shortcuts to delete all Facebook messages at once.
How To Delete All Facebook Messages On Desktop
On the Facebook website, here are some methods you can use to delete messages in bulk:
Use Facebook’s Bulk Delete Tool
Facebook has a bulk delete tool specifically for clearing large amounts of messages from your inbox:
- Go to your Facebook inbox on the desktop site.
- Click on the dropdown arrow at the top of your inbox.
- Select “Bulk Delete.”
- Check the boxes next to the threads you want to delete.
- Click “Delete” to remove the selected threads.
This allows you to delete up to 100 threads at a time. It’s still tedious for accounts with thousands of messages, but it’s faster than deleting one by one.
Use a Browser Extension
There are browser extensions like Social Book Post Manager that add a “Select All” option to your Facebook messages page, allowing you to delete all messages at once.
To use:
- Install the Social Book Post Manager extension.
- Go to your Facebook inbox.
- A “Select All” checkbox will appear at the top.
- Check the box to select all threads.
- Click “Delete” to remove them.
This extension streamlines the process of mass deleting Facebook messages.
Use a Third Party Tool
Services like FB Purity or Social Bookmark Cleaner allow you to delete all your Facebook messages at once. You’ll need to install the tool and connect your Facebook account.
The advantage of using a third party service is you can delete thousands of Facebook messages in a single click. The downside is you have to trust the tool with access to your account.
How To Delete All Facebook Messages On Mobile
Deleting Facebook messages in bulk is trickier on mobile since you don’t have access to browser extensions. Here are some options:
Use the Mobile Website
The bulk delete tool is available on the Facebook mobile website, though a bit hidden:
- Go to www.facebook.com in your mobile browser.
- Tap the hamburger menu ≡ at the top right.
- Choose “Messages” from the menu.
- Tap the arrow at the top of your inbox.
- Select “Bulk Delete.”
- Check threads and tap “Delete.”
You can delete up to 100 threads at once this way.
Use the Mobile App
Unfortunately, the Facebook mobile app does not have a built-in bulk delete option. You’ll have to delete threads one by one. To speed up the process:
- Open a message thread, tap the name at the top, and select “Delete Thread.”
- Swipe left on a thread and tap “Delete.”
- Tap and hold multiple threads to select them, then delete.
Without a “Select All” option, deleting all messages on mobile takes patience.
Use Third Party Apps
Tools like Thread Deleter for Facebook allow you to mass delete Facebook messages on your iPhone or Android device. But they require you to connect the app to your Facebook account.
Other Ways To Delete Facebook Messages
If you want to delete a lot of Facebook messages quickly, here are a few other options:
- Unfriend or block the people you message to clear your inbox.
- Deactivate your Facebook account temporarily.
- Delete your Facebook account completely.
However, these methods will also remove all your other Facebook data.
| Method | Deletes All Messages | Keeps Account |
|---|---|---|
| Unfriend or block | Yes | Yes |
| Deactivate account | Yes | Temporarily |
| Delete account | Yes | No |
As you can see, these more extreme options remove all your Facebook messages, but also your entire account and all its data.
Does Deleting Facebook Messages Delete Them For Both Parties?
No, when you delete your messages on Facebook, it only deletes them from your inbox. The messages will remain visible in the other person’s inbox.
Here’s what happens when you delete Facebook messages:
- The messages are removed from your inbox and archived on Facebook’s servers.
- The messages remain fully intact in the inbox of the person you were messaging.
- Your messages will still show up in their inbox with your name.
- The other user can still read the messages you sent, even if deleted.
So deleting Facebook messages only deletes your copy of the conversation. The recipient can still read the messages you sent. There is no way to selectively delete messages for both parties.
Does Unsending Facebook Messages Delete For Both?
If you use Facebook’s “unsend” feature that allows you to retract messages, it will remove the message for both you and the recipient. Here’s how it works:
- Tap and hold on a message you sent to see the “Unsend” option.
- If you tap “Unsend,” the message is removed for you and the recipient.
- The other user will see a note saying “This message was unsent.”
- Unsending only works for a short time after sending the message.
So Facebook’s unsend feature does delete the message for both parties. But it’s time limited and must be done shortly after sending.
Conclusion
While Facebook doesn’t allow you to easily select and delete all your messages at once, there are some workarounds:
- Use Facebook’s bulk delete tool to remove up to 100 threads at a time.
- Browser extensions can add a “Select All” option to mass delete.
- Third party apps let you delete thousands of messages instantly.
- On mobile, you’ll have to delete threads manually one by one.
Deleting all your Facebook messages permanently erases them from your inbox, but the recipient can still see the conversation in their inbox. The nuclear option is deactivating or deleting your account, which will remove all messages but also all your Facebook data.