What you can delete, and what stays on other people's phones
You can delete a group text from your own phone, but the message remains on everyone else's device. Deleting it from your end does not erase it from the group chat history, does not notify other people that you deleted it, and does not remove it from their phones or from your carrier's servers.
The distinction matters because people often delete a message thinking it will vanish everywhere. It will not. If you sent something you regret, deleting it from your phone is for your own peace of mind — it does not undo the fact that others saw it, took a screenshot, or forwarded it. Some messaging apps (like iMessage on Apple devices or Signal) offer a "unsend" or "delete for everyone" feature that works differently, but standard SMS text messages and most group chats do not have this option.
The steps to delete a message vary by phone type and which app you are using. The process is straightforward on both Android and iPhone, but the buttons and menus are in different places.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting a message from your phone does not remove it from other people's phones or from the group chat history they see.
- iPhone and Android phones have different menus for deleting messages, but both let you delete individual messages or entire conversations.
- Some apps like iMessage and Signal offer "unsend" or "delete for everyone" features, but these only work within those apps and only for a limited time after sending.
- Screenshots and forwarded messages are not affected by deletion — if someone saved the message before you deleted it, they still have it.
Deleting a single message on iPhone
Open the Messages app and find the conversation containing the message you want to delete. Press and hold on the specific message until a menu appears with options. Tap "More" if you see it, then tap the trash or delete icon at the bottom right of the screen. Confirm the deletion if prompted.
If you are using iMessage (messages between Apple devices that appear in blue), you have an additional option: press and hold the message, then tap "Unsend" instead of delete. This removes the message from the recipient's device as well, but only if they are also on iMessage and only within a few minutes of when you sent it. After that window closes, unsend no longer works.
To delete an entire conversation instead of a single message, swipe left on the conversation thread in your message list, then tap the trash icon.
Deleting a single message on Android
Open your default messaging app (usually Messages, but it could be Google Messages, Samsung Messages, or another app depending on your phone). Find the conversation and press and hold on the message you want to delete until it is highlighted. Tap the delete or trash icon, usually at the top of the screen.
If you use Signal or another third-party messaging app, the process is similar: press and hold the message, then select delete or unsend from the menu. Signal offers a "delete for everyone" option that works like iMessage's unsend feature — it removes the message from recipients' devices, but only for a short time after sending (usually up to one hour, depending on the app's settings).
To delete an entire conversation on Android, press and hold the conversation thread, then tap delete or trash.
Why deleting from your phone is not the same as unsending
When you delete a message from your phone, you are only removing it from your local storage. The message still exists on the recipient's phone, on your carrier's backup servers, and potentially in cloud backups if you have those turned on. Law enforcement, your carrier, or the app company can still retrieve it if they have a legal reason to do so.
Unsending (available in iMessage, Signal, and some other apps) is different because it sends a command to the recipient's device telling it to delete the message. This works only if both people are using the same app, only for a limited time after sending, and only if the recipient has not already taken a screenshot or forwarded the message elsewhere.
If you are concerned about a message you sent in a group chat, the safest assumption is that it has been seen and may have been saved by someone. Deleting it from your own phone is a reasonable step for your own privacy, but it does not undo the fact that others have access to it.
Deleting messages from cloud backups
If you back up your phone to iCloud (iPhone) or Google Drive (Android), deleting a message from your phone does not automatically delete it from the backup. Your next backup will reflect the deletion, but previous backups may still contain the message.
On iPhone, you can manage iCloud backups by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups, then selecting your device. You cannot delete individual messages from a backup — you can only delete the entire backup and let a new one create on your next sync. On Android with Google Drive, the process is similar: go to Settings > Google > Manage Your Google Account > Storage, then select the backup and delete it if needed.
If you are trying to remove a message from all your backups, the most direct route is to delete the entire backup and allow a fresh one to be created after you have deleted the message from your phone.
What happens to group messages when you delete them
In a group text, deleting a message from your phone does not affect the group chat thread on anyone else's device. Everyone else still sees the message in the conversation history. If you delete the entire conversation, you are only removing it from your phone — the group continues without you seeing it, but the other members still have the full history.
If you want to remove yourself from a group text entirely, you can usually do this by opening the conversation, tapping the group name or info button at the top, and selecting "Leave this Conversation" or similar wording. This removes you from future messages, but it does not delete past messages from other people's phones.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I delete a message, can the other person still see it?
Yes. Deleting a message from your phone only removes it from your device. The other person still sees it in their conversation history. If you want to remove a message from their phone too, you need to use an unsend feature (available in iMessage, Signal, and some other apps), and only within a few minutes of sending.
Does deleting a text message delete it from my carrier's records?
No. Your carrier stores copies of text messages on their servers for a period of time (usually weeks to months, depending on the carrier). Deleting a message from your phone does not remove it from their systems. Only the carrier can delete those records, and they typically do so automatically after their retention period ends.
What if someone took a screenshot of the message before I deleted it?
Deleting the message does not affect the screenshot. The screenshot is a separate image file on their phone, and deleting your original message has no effect on it. If you are concerned about a message being shared, assume that a screenshot may have been taken and that deletion will not prevent that.
Can I delete a message I sent to a group chat without everyone knowing?
Yes. Deleting a message from your phone is silent — no notification goes to the group. However, if other people are looking at the conversation at the same time, they will still see the message on their devices. Unsend features (in iMessage and Signal) also do not send a notification, though they do leave a trace that a message was unsent.
If I delete a conversation, does it delete it for everyone in the group?
No. Deleting a conversation from your phone only removes it from your device. Everyone else in the group still has the full conversation history. You will no longer see new messages from that group unless someone adds you back in.