Instead of barely an hour, WhatsApp’s Delete for Everyone feature can now recall a message after more than 24 hours of being sent.
- You will soon have more than 24 hours to recall a message for everyone in the chat instead of a little more than an hour like today.
- The Meta-owned messaging app is testing this feature in version 22.15.0.73 of the WhatsApp beta for iPhone, which is available on TestFlight.
WhatsApp extends the “delete for everyone” time limit
WhatsApp is currently testing this feature in the beta version of its app for iOS [App Store link] and Android, but it’s unclear when, and if for that matter, it might arrive to all users. Extending the time limit for the “delete for everyone” feature will give you a chance to recall an incorrectly sent message for much longer than today. As WhatsApp’s support document spells it out, currently you only have about an hour after you’ve sent a message to “Delete for Everyone.”
WABeatInfo reports that some testers of the WhatsApp iPhone beta are now able to delete messages within two days and twelve hours (or 36 hours total). That’s a significant extension that should come in handy the next day you wake up with a hangover realizing you’d sent a drunk pic of yourself to everyone you know.
How to delete a WhatsApp message for everyone
You can delete a sent message for everyone involved in the hat by long-tapping a text to reveal a contextual menu with a “Delete for Everyone” option.
- Open an individual or group chat on WhatsApp.
- Touch and hold the message bubble you wish to delete, then choose “Delete” from the menu.
- Touch the “Trashcan” icon in the bottom-left corner.
- Choose “Delete for Everyone” from the menu.
When a message has been successfully deleted, chat participants will see “This message was deleted” in place of the deleted message.
When will the new “delete for everyone” time limit launch?
As we mentioned, WhatsApp is currently updating the time limit to delete messages for everyone for some of its beta testers. Based on received feedback, the company will either release the feature more broadly to beta testers or nix it altogether.
If you don’t yet see the new time limit, be patient until the feature expands to more people. Watch this space as we’ll be making sure to keep you updated as new information becomes available. Read: How to fix WhatsApp not working