WhatsApp lets users delete messages sent to recipients

Chat service WhatsApp has started making available a more extensive delete function for messages. Previously, users could delete it for themselves, but now it is also possible for others.

The feature is not yet available to everyone, but WaBetaInfo references a WhatsApp-published FAQ page that describes the feature. It is likely that it will become available to more and more users. WhatsApp reports that users can delete messages in both group conversations and individual chats.

That works by holding down a message and then pressing ‘delete’. A menu will then appear where the option ‘delete for everyone’ can be selected. If the user chooses this option, the message will also disappear for other chat participants. WhatsApp warns that the feature only works for seven minutes after sending a message. After that, a user can only delete the message for themselves.

Furthermore, the function only works if the sender and receiver have the latest version of the app on Android, iOS or Windows Phone. There will be no further warning if the deletion does not work for all participants. According to WaBetaINfo, deleted messages disappear from recipients on iOS from the notification center, on Android a message appears that the message in question has been deleted.