WhatsApp is a great, free end-to-end encrypted messaging app that utilizes the internet for text, video, and voice communication services. Even international calling is free.
A WhatsApp group admin can delete messages from a WhatsApp chat for everyone. The admin needs to highlight the message to delete and select Delete Message for Everyone.
It is also possible for the admin to recover deleted or missing WhatsApp messages if they were deleted accidentally. First, the admin would need to enable the messages backup.
How to Delete WhatsApp Messages as an Admin
The WhatsApp chat group administrator can delete messages for the whole group chat through WhatsApp’s Delete for Everyone option.
- Open WhatsApp
- Select the chat with the message you want to Delete for Everyone
- Press and Hold the message (you can also select multiple messages to delete many at once)
- Select Delete (next to the trash can icon)
- Select Delete for Everyone
- Select OK
- Now anyone in the group chat will see “This message was deleted by admin, [admin name]” instead of the original message.
Group participants can get Group admins to delete WhatsApp group messages in the group chat.
Getting admins to delete messages or delete an incoming message is content moderation.
It is also possible to screenshot the WhatsApp conversation, and one of the group participants could have shared the screenshot.
So this is no guarantee it will never be seen.
Some Things to Consider When Using the Admin Delete for Everyone
These are some tips for using the Admin Delete for Everyone feature on WhatsApp:
- All users must be using the latest version of WhatsApp for the admin-deleted messages
- WhatsApp on iOS has the option to save pictures directly to the device when a message is received
- Everyone in the group message can see which admin used the Delete for Everyone option to delete any message
- If you delete a message, that is no guarantee that someone in the group chat didn’t see it before it was deleted
Be sure that when you use the Delete for Everyone function as an admin, you want the message gone because it is possible that the message won’t be recoverable.
Why Delete WhatsApp Group Messages
Sometimes, a group messenger might unintentionally send a picture, video, or text.
It is also possible that someone in the group said something others don’t need to see.
Be it a negative comment or to save someone’s feelings, or even a birthday gift for someone in the chat that they didn’t know had access to that particular group chat.
How to Delete a WhatsApp Message if You’re not Admin
You can still use the Delete for Everyone option if you want to delete a message from your group chat or just a two-way chat.
Only an admin delete will affect other users other than yourself.
- Open WhatsApp
- Select the chat with the message you want to be deleted
- Press and hold the message (you can select multiple messages)
- Select Delete (next to the trash can icon)
- Select either Delete for Me or Delete for Everyone
Delete for me will only delete the message on your device. Delete for Everyone will delete the message for everyone in the chat.
The admin can recover deleted messages on their end.
WhatsApp Beta
If you want to be privy to all the newest features available and tested on WhatsApp, you can download WhatsApp Beta for Android or iOS.
WhatsApp Beta is a testing ground where beta testers test out the newest features WhatsApp is trying.
Beta users can be anyone that wants to give new features a try.
Conclusion
The WhatsApp messages admin has many different forms of control and content moderation they can allow or disallow in their group chats.
The admin of the group chats can delete any message of any group participant using the instant messaging app.
