You can delete a message after you send it, but only you will see the change
When you delete a message on Facebook, it disappears from your own chat history. The person you sent it to will still see it in their inbox unless they delete it themselves. Facebook does not notify them that you deleted something — they straightforward see the message is no longer there if they look at the conversation again.
You have the option to delete a message you sent, or to unsend it entirely. Unsending removes the message from both your chat history and the other person's inbox, as if you never sent it. Most people use unsend when they catch a typo or send something to the wrong person. Use delete when you want to clean up your own chat history but do not mind if the other person still has a record of what you wrote.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting a message removes it only from your chat history; the other person still sees it unless they delete it too.
- Unsending a message removes it from both your inbox and the other person's inbox, as if it was never sent.
- You can delete or unsend a message on Facebook Messenger on your phone or computer within a few seconds of sending it.
- If you cannot find the delete or unsend option, make sure you are looking at a message you actually sent, not one someone sent to you.
How to delete a message on your phone
Open Facebook Messenger and find the conversation that contains the message you want to delete. Locate the message you sent and press and hold it with your finger until a menu appears. You will see options including "Delete" and "Unsend" — tap whichever one you want.
If you tap Delete, the message vanishes from your chat history when ready. If you tap Unsend, the message disappears from both your inbox and the other person's inbox. The other person will see a note saying the message was unsent, but they will not see the actual text you wrote.
On some phones, the menu may appear slightly differently depending on whether you use iPhone or Android, but both options are always available. If the menu does not appear when you hold down the message, try holding for a full second or two — sometimes a quick tap registers as something else.
How to delete a message on your computer
Go to Facebook Messenger on your web browser or open the Messenger app on your desktop. Find the conversation and hover your mouse over the message you sent. A small menu with three dots or a trash icon will appear to the right of the message.
Click that menu and select either Delete or Remove (the wording varies slightly by browser and device). The message will disappear from your chat history. If you want to unsend instead, look for an option that says Unsend — it will remove the message from both inboxes.
If you do not see the menu appear when you hover, try moving your mouse slowly across the message or clicking directly on it first. Some browsers require you to be more precise with your cursor placement.
The difference between delete and unsend
The main difference is who sees the change. When you delete a message, only you lose access to it in your chat history. The other person's copy stays intact. This is useful if you want to declutter your own conversations but do not care if the other person still has the message.
When you unsend a message, it vanishes from both sides. The other person will see a note in the conversation saying "You unsent a message" or similar wording, but they cannot read what you originally wrote. Use unsend when you send something by accident, send it to the wrong person, or realize you said something you did not mean to say.
Neither option notifies the other person that you deleted something — they straightforward see the message is gone if they look at the conversation again. If they already read the message before you deleted it, they will remember what it said, but they cannot see it in the chat anymore.
What happens if you wait too long to delete
Facebook does not publish an official time limit for how long you can delete or unsend a message, but in practice you should do it within a few minutes of sending. The longer you wait, the less likely the option will be available. If you try to delete a message from hours or days ago and the menu does not appear, it is because Facebook has locked it.
Once a message is locked, you cannot delete or unsend it through the normal method. Your only option at that point is to edit the message if Facebook offers that feature in your region, or to send a follow-up message explaining what you meant to say instead.
How to edit a message instead of deleting it
If you cannot delete a message because too much time has passed, you may be able to edit it instead. Press and hold the message on your phone, or hover over it on your computer, and look for an Edit option in the menu. If it appears, tap or click it and rewrite the message to say what you meant.
When you edit a message, the other person will see the updated text, and the message will show "(edited)" next to the timestamp so they know you changed it. This is useful if you sent something with a typo or if you want to clarify what you meant without deleting the whole thing.
Not all regions or account types have the edit feature yet. If you do not see an edit option, deleting and resending a corrected version is your best choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a message someone else sent to me?
No. You can only delete messages that you sent yourself. If someone sends you a message you do not want to see, you can delete it from your own chat history, but the message stays in the conversation thread. The other person will not know you deleted it from your side.
Will the other person know I unsent a message?
They will see a note saying you unsent a message, but they will not see the text of what you wrote. If they read the message before you unsent it, they will remember what it said, but they cannot read it again in the chat.
What if I delete a message with a photo or link in it?
Deleting the message removes it from your chat history, but if the other person already downloaded the photo or clicked the link, they still have access to it. Unsending works the same way — the message disappears, but anything they already saved or opened remains on their device.
Can I recover a message after I delete it?
No. Once you delete or unsend a message, Facebook does not store a copy you can recover. If you need to resend something, you will have to type it again from scratch.
Why is the delete option not showing up?
The most common reason is that too much time has passed since you sent the message. Facebook typically allows deletion only within a short window after sending. Another reason is that you may be trying to delete a message someone else sent to you — you can only delete your own messages.