Messenger is one of the most popular messaging platforms, allowing users to easily communicate with friends and family. However, you may sometimes send a message that you later regret or that contains a mistake. Fortunately, Messenger provides options to delete or edit messages after they have been sent.
Can you delete messages on Messenger?
Yes, it is possible to delete messages on Messenger after you have sent them. However, the steps you need to take depend on whether you are trying to delete a message you sent or one that you received.
Deleting messages you have sent
If you want to delete a message that you have sent to another person on Messenger, follow these steps:
- Open the Messenger app and go to your message thread with the person you sent the message to.
- Tap and hold the message you want to delete.
- Tap “Remove” to delete the message.
This will immediately delete the message from the thread. However, be aware that the recipient may still see the notification that you sent something even after you delete it.
Deleting messages you have received
To delete a message someone else sent you on Messenger:
- Open the message thread and tap and hold the message you want to delete.
- Tap “Delete” to remove the message from the thread.
The message will be deleted from the thread on your end, but the sender will still be able to see it in their Messenger app.
Can you edit messages on Messenger after sending them?
Unfortunately, unlike some other messaging apps, Messenger does not have a native feature to edit a message after you’ve sent it. Once a message is sent, the content cannot be changed.
However, if you notice a mistake immediately, there are a couple of options you can try:
- Delete the message and send a new one with the correct information.
- Send a follow up message clarifying or correcting the mistake.
Although you can’t directly edit messages, deleting and resending a corrected version, or clarifying any mistakes with a new message, can help resolve the situation.
Does deleting a message remove it for everyone?
No, when you delete a message on Messenger it is only removed from your own inbox. The recipient can still see the full message thread, including any messages you have deleted.
Here’s a breakdown of what happens when you delete messages:
- Deleting a message you sent removes it from your inbox, but the recipient can still see it.
- Deleting a message you received removes it from your inbox, but the sender can still see it in their inbox.
So deleting messages only removes them from your own view of the conversation. To fully remove a message, both parties would need to individually delete it from their inboxes.
Can you delete messages that are several months or years old?
Yes, Messenger allows you to delete messages from a thread no matter how old they are. You can delete messages from years or months ago the same way you would delete a recent message.
Simply open the message thread, tap and hold the message, and select delete. As long as you still have access to the message thread, you’ll be able to remove messages from it.
Are there any limits on how many messages you can delete?
There is no limit to the number of messages you can delete from a Messenger thread. You can delete some or all of the messages in a thread if you choose.
Can you recover a deleted message?
Unfortunately, once you delete a Messenger message it is permanently removed and cannot be recovered. The content of deleted messages cannot be retrieved.
Some things to keep in mind to avoid losing important information:
- Be careful when selecting messages to delete. Double check you are deleting the right ones.
- If you want to keep a record of the message, take a screenshot before deleting it.
- Think carefully before deleting messages containing information you may need later.
Does Messenger notify the recipient when you delete a message?
No, Messenger does not send any kind of notification when you delete a message from a thread. The process is seamless and invisible to the recipient.
If you delete a message you sent, the recipient will simply see that the message disappeared from the thread. If you delete a received message, there is no indication to the sender that you removed it from your inbox.
Can you delete Messenger conversations entirely?
In addition to deleting individual messages, it is also possible to delete an entire Messenger conversation thread. This removes the entire conversation history from your inbox.
To delete a conversation:
- Open the conversation thread you want to delete.
- Tap on the contact’s name at the top of the screen.
- Tap “Delete Conversation.”
- Confirm you want to delete the entire thread.
As with individual messages, this only deletes the conversation from your inbox. Your messaging partner will still have access to the conversation in their Messenger account.
Does deleting a conversation remove it for both parties?
No, when you delete a conversation thread in Messenger it is only removed from your inbox. It does not delete the conversation for anyone else you were messaging.
The other participants in the conversation will still be able to view, send, and delete messages as normal. Deleting a conversation thread only removes it from your view.
Can you delete conversations that are several years old?
Yes, you can delete old Messenger conversations from years ago the same way you would delete a more recent thread. As long as you can access the conversation, you can delete the entire thread.
Are there any limits to how many conversations you can delete?
Messenger does not limit how many conversation threads you can delete. You can remove as many conversations from your message inbox as you want to.
What happens when you delete a conversation?
Here’s an overview of what happens when you delete a Messenger conversation:
- The conversation thread disappears from your message inbox and archives.
- All messages in the thread are deleted and cannot be recovered.
- Your messaging partner can still see the conversation thread and messages.
- You can no longer see any messages sent in the conversation.
- If you get a new message from the same contact, it will start a new thread.
Can you recover a deleted conversation?
Unfortunately, once you permanently delete a conversation thread, there is no way to recover it. The entire contents of the conversation are lost on your end.
Some tips to avoid losing important conversations:
- Take screenshots of conversations you may need to reference later before deleting.
- Be extremely careful when selecting conversations to delete.
- Avoid deleting entire threads unless you are absolutely certain.
Does Messenger send notifications when you delete a conversation?
No, Messenger does not notify the other participant when you delete a conversation thread. It occurs silently without them being alerted.
Can you delete messages and conversations from the Messenger mobile app?
Yes, deleting messages and conversations works the same way in the Messenger mobile app as it does in the desktop version. The same steps and guidelines apply.
To delete messages:
- Tap and hold a message and select “Delete” or “Remove.”
- Messages will only be deleted from your inbox, not your recipients’.
To delete an entire conversation:
- Swipe left on the conversation in your inbox.
- Tap “Delete Conversation.”
- The conversation will be removed from your inbox only.
Can you delete Messenger messages and conversations from Facebook?
Since Messenger is integrated with Facebook, you also have the option to manage messages and conversations from within Facebook:
- On Facebook, go to your profile and click on “Messages” in the left menu.
- This will open Messenger, where you can delete threads and messages.
- Deleting from here works the same as deleting in the Messenger app.
So if you prefer to do everything in one place on Facebook, you can delete Messenger content there too.
Conclusion
Messenger makes it easy to remove messages and entire conversations from your inbox if you change your mind after sending something or no longer need to reference an older discussion. Just be aware that deleting messages or conversations only removes them from your view – recipients will still be able to see them.
Be careful when deleting Messenger content, as they cannot be recovered after being removed. But when used responsibly, deleting messages and conversations can help keep your inbox tidy and manageable.