Deleting Facebook chats can be a tedious process, especially if you have accumulated hundreds or thousands of conversations over the years and want to delete many chats at once. While Facebook doesn’t have a built-in “delete all chats” feature, there are a few methods you can use to delete Facebook chats in bulk.
Why You Might Want to Delete Facebook Chats
Here are some common reasons for wanting to delete Facebook chats in bulk:
- You want to delete old chats to clean up your inbox
- You’re concerned about privacy and want to remove conversations
- You’re leaving Facebook and want to erase your message history
- You want to delete a chat with a specific person or group of people
Deleting chats can give you a fresh start and help protect your privacy. When chats are deleted, they are removed from your account and no longer accessible.
How to Delete All Facebook Chats on Desktop
If you’re accessing Facebook on a desktop computer, here are some methods to delete chats in bulk:
Use a Chrome Extension
Chrome extensions like Facebook Chat Cleaner and Delete Facebook Messages allow you to mass select conversations and delete them with one click. This can save a lot of time versus manually deleting each chat.
Use the Bookmark Method
You can bookmark chats you want to delete, then go through your bookmarks and delete those chats. Here’s how:
- Go to your Chats page on Facebook
- Scroll through and bookmark conversations you want to delete by clicking the star icon next to each chat
- When you’ve finished, go to your Bookmarks page
- Open each bookmarked chat and delete it
This allows you to compile chats to delete without having to do it all at once.
Try a Userscript
Userscripts like Delete All Facebook Messages add a “Select All” checkbox to your Chats page so you can delete all your conversations at once. You’ll need a userscript manager like Tampermonkey to use this method.
How to Delete All Facebook Chats on Mobile
If you use the Facebook mobile app, here are some tips for bulk deleting chats:
Delete Individual Chats
Tap into each chat, tap the name or photo at the top, and select “Delete Conversation.” This is time consuming but ensures you don’t accidentally delete chats you want to keep.
Use the Bookmark Method
Same as on desktop, you can bookmark chats to delete. Tap the settings icon in the top corner of a chat, choose “Bookmarks,” then go through and delete your bookmarked conversations.
Try a Third-Party App
Apps like DeleteFBChats let you delete multiple Facebook chats at once from your phone. However, it requires giving the app access to your account.
Factors to Consider When Deleting Chats
Keep these things in mind when deleting Facebook chats:
| Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Deleted chats can’t be recovered | Once a chat is deleted, it’s gone for good. Make sure you don’t delete conversations you may need later. |
| Deleting is all or nothing | You can’t selectively delete parts of a conversation – it’s the full chat history or nothing. |
| Other people’s access | Deleted chats also disappear from the inboxes of the other people involved. |
| Facebook’s backup | Deleted chats may still exist in Facebook’s records for some time. |
How to Delete Specific Facebook Chats
If you only want to delete certain chats instead of all conversations, here are some tips:
- Desktop: Open the chat, click the name/photo, choose “Delete Conversation”
- Mobile app: Swipe left on the chat, tap “More”, choose “Delete Conversation”
- Bookmark chats to delete later
- Type a person’s name in the search bar to easily access your chat history with them
Taking the time to selectively delete chats gives you more control over what stays and goes.
How to Delete Facebook Messages (Not Chats)
Deleting an entire chat thread is different than deleting specific messages within a thread. Here’s how to delete individual Facebook messages:
- Open the chat the message is in
- Hover over the message and click the “X” icon
- Confirm you want to delete the message
The message will be deleted for you and anyone else who could see it in the chat. You can also long-press a mobile message to get the delete option.
How to Delete Facebook Messages on Messenger
If you use Facebook Messenger for chatting, here are tips for bulk deleting messages:
- Open a chat, tap your profile picture, tap “Delete conversation”
- In the Messenger settings, tap “Clear conversations to delete all chats
- Download your Facebook data to retrieve your messages, then delete all chats
- Use a third-party app to mass delete Messenger threads
Mistakes to Avoid When Deleting Chats
Be careful not to make these common mistakes when deleting Facebook conversations:
- Deleting the wrong chats: Double check before deleting to avoid removing conversations you want to keep.
- Forgetting backups: Don’t forget conversations may still exist in backups even after being deleted.
- Assuming chats can be recovered: Always assume deleted chats are gone for good and can’t be retrieved.
- Deleting in haste: Take your time and thoroughly evaluate each chat before removing it.
Rushing through the process or being careless can lead to regrettable results. Take time to carefully curate your chat list.
Facebook Chat Deletion: Bottom Line
Here are some key takeaways on how to delete Facebook chats:
- Use Chrome extensions, bookmarks, or userscripts to bulk delete chats
- Delete individual chats or use bookmarks on mobile
- Remember deleted chats can’t be recovered
- You can selectively delete messages within a chat
- Messenger has options to clear all chats or delete specific ones
Deleting Facebook conversations takes time but can be worth it for privacy, security, and peace of mind. Be thoughtful in deciding what to delete and careful in executing it.