WhatsApp text error – why can’t I delete for everyone?

SOMETIMES you can send a WhatsApp message you instantly regret or one that’s full of spelling mistakes.

That’s where the ‘Delete message’ feature comes in handy but it doesn’t always work the way you want it to.

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How to “unsend” a WhatsApp message?

So, if you’ve sent a risky text or made a mistake the feature can save you a lot of embarrassment or explaining.

All you have to do to delete a message is hold the unwanted message down and a menu will appear – simply select ‘Delete for Everyone’ within the grace period and the message will be permanently deleted.

While the person you sent it to will not be able to see the message they will see in the conversation “This message was deleted”.

Why can’t I delete a WhatsApp message for everyone in the chat?

There are a few factors that can prevent the ‘Delete for Everyone’ feature from working.

Firstly, you and the recipient need to be using one of the latest versions of WhatsApp.

WhatsApp explains on its website that “You only have about an hour after you’ve sent a message to request to Delete for Everyone.”

After this grace period, you won’t see the option to ‘Delete for Everyone’ and you’ll only be able to click ‘Delete for Me’.

Also bear in mind that you can only delete messages that you’ve sent and that someone could see or screenshot a message before you’ve deleted it.

WhatsApp also says: “Recipients using WhatsApp for iOS may still have media you sent saved to their Photos, even after the message is deleted from the WhatsApp chat.”

You won’t be notified if your message wasn’t deleted for everyone so it’s probably best not to rely on the feature too heavily and double check a message before you send.

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