How to unsend a text message on Android or iPhone

Have you ever sent a text message that you regretted immediately? Maybe you typed something wrong, or you accidentally texted the wrong person, or you just changed your mind.

Whatever the reason, you might wish you could take back your message and erase it from the recipient’s phone. Well, the good news is that you can do that, depending on what device and app you are using.

How to unsend a text on iMessage on iPhone

If you have an iPhone and you are using iMessage, the built-in messaging app from Apple, you can unsend a text for up to two minutes after you send it. This feature is available on iOS 16, iPadOS 16.1, macOS Ventura, or later versions. 

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Here are the steps to unsend a text on iPhone using iMessage:

1. Open the Messages app and tap on the conversation that contains the message you want to unsend.
2. Touch and hold the message bubble, then tap Undo Send.
3. The message will disappear and a notification that says “You unsent a message” will appear.
4. The recipient will also see the notification and the message will be removed from their device.

Note that this feature only works for iMessage, which is indicated by blue text bubbles. If you are sending messages to someone who is not using iMessage, such as an Android user, the original message will remain in the conversation.

How to unsend a message on WhatsApp

If you have an Android device and you are using WhatsApp, one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, you can unsend a text for up to an hour after you send it. This feature works for both individual and group chats. 

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Here are the steps to unsend a text on Android using WhatsApp:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to the chat that contains the message you want to unsend.
2. Tap and hold the message, then tap Delete.
3. Select Delete for Everyone.
4. The message will be replaced by “This message was deleted” in your chat and in the recipient’s chat.

Note that this feature only works if both you and the recipient have the latest version of WhatsApp installed. Also, if the recipient has already seen or read your message before you delete it, they will still know what you sent.

How to unsend a message on Telegram

If you are looking for a messaging app that works on any device and allows you to unsend a text at any time, you might want to try Telegram. Telegram is a secure and fast messaging app that lets you delete any message you have sent or received in any chat. 

Here are the steps to unsend a text on any device using Telegram:

1. Open Telegram and open the chat that contains the message you want to unsend.
2. Tap and hold the message, then tap Delete.
3. Choose whether to delete the message only for yourself or for both yourself and the recipient.
4. Confirm your choice by tapping Delete.

The message will be erased from your chat and from the recipient’s chat, without leaving any trace. You can do this for any message, no matter how old or new it is.