The fastest way depends on what you're using

Deleting all messages at once is usually faster than selecting them one by one, but the steps change depending on whether you're using an iPhone, Android phone, Gmail, Outlook, or a messaging app like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. Most devices and programs have a "select all" option that lets you mark every message in a conversation or folder, then delete them together. Some let you set messages to delete automatically after a certain number of days.

The method also depends on whether you want to delete messages from a single conversation, an entire app, or your email account. A conversation with one person takes different steps than clearing out your entire message history. Know what you're deleting before you start, because most deletions cannot be undone.

Key Takeaways

  • On iPhone, open the Messages app, tap Edit in the top left, tap Select All, then tap Delete to remove all conversations at once.
  • On Android, open your default messaging app, long-press a conversation to select it, tap the three-dot menu, and look for Delete All or Clear All options.
  • In Gmail, click the checkbox at the top of your inbox to select all visible messages, then click Delete; Gmail also lets you set messages to auto-delete after 30 days.
  • WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and other apps have their own delete methods — usually found by long-pressing a conversation and selecting Delete from the menu.
  • Deleted messages are usually gone permanently, so make sure you want them gone before you confirm.

Deleting all messages on iPhone

Open the Messages app and look at the top left corner. You will see the word "Edit" — tap it. The screen will change and show checkboxes next to each conversation. Tap "Select All" to mark every conversation for deletion. Once all conversations are checked, a red Delete button appears at the bottom right. Tap it and confirm when the phone asks if you're sure.

If you want to delete messages from only one conversation instead, open that conversation, tap Edit, select the messages you want gone, and tap Delete. You can also delete a single conversation by swiping left on it in the Messages list and tapping the trash icon.

Messages deleted this way are removed from your phone but may still be backed up to iCloud if you have iCloud Backup turned on. If you want them gone from your backup too, you would need to turn off iCloud Backup, delete the backup, and turn it back on — but this is rarely necessary and will also delete other backed-up data.

Deleting all messages on Android

The exact steps depend on which messaging app you use, because Android does not have one built-in Messages app like iPhone does. Most Android phones come with Google Messages or Samsung Messages, but some people use other apps. Open whichever app you use for text messages.

Long-press (hold your finger on) the first conversation you want to delete. More checkboxes will appear next to other conversations. Tap each conversation you want to delete, or look for a "Select All" option at the top of the screen. Once you have selected the conversations, tap the three-dot menu icon (or a trash icon if one is visible) and choose Delete or Clear All. Confirm when the phone asks.

If you use a different messaging app like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, the steps are similar but the menu locations change. Long-press a conversation, look for a Delete option, and tap it. Some apps let you delete a single message within a conversation by long-pressing that message and choosing Delete.

Clearing all email messages in Gmail

Log into Gmail in a web browser. At the top of your inbox, to the left of the word "Inbox," there is a small checkbox. Click it to select all messages currently visible on the screen. A message will appear saying "All 50 conversations in Inbox are selected" (or however many you have). Click the trash or delete icon, usually shown as a trash can, and confirm.

Gmail moves deleted messages to the Trash folder, where they stay for 30 days before being permanently removed. If you delete something by accident, you can open the Trash folder and move it back to your inbox within that 30-day window.

If you want messages to delete automatically without you doing anything, you can set up a filter. Click the Settings gear icon, go to Filters and Blocked Addresses, and create a new filter that automatically deletes messages matching certain words or from certain senders. This is useful if you receive a lot of unwanted mail from one source.

Clearing messages in Outlook

Log into Outlook online or open the Outlook app on your computer. Click on your Inbox. At the top, you will see a checkbox — click it to select all messages on the current page. If you have more messages than fit on one page, Outlook will ask if you want to select all messages in your inbox, not just the ones you see. Click yes. Then click the Delete button (usually a trash icon) and confirm.

Like Gmail, Outlook moves deleted messages to a Deleted Items folder where they stay for a set number of days — usually 30 days in Outlook.com, but this varies depending on your organization's settings if you use Outlook through work. After that time, they are permanently removed.

You can also create a rule to automatically delete certain messages. Go to Settings, then Rules, and set up a rule that deletes messages from specific senders or with specific words in the subject line.

Deleting messages in WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger

In WhatsApp, open the app and look at your list of conversations. Long-press the conversation you want to delete. A menu will appear with options including Delete. Tap Delete and confirm. If you want to delete all conversations, you have to do this one at a time — WhatsApp does not have a "select all" option for conversations.

To delete individual messages within a conversation, open the conversation, long-press the specific message, and tap Delete. Some versions of WhatsApp let you delete a message for everyone if you do this within a few minutes of sending it, but this option disappears after that time window.

In Facebook Messenger, long-press a conversation to select it. A checkbox will appear. Tap additional conversations to select multiple ones, or look for a Select All option. Once you have selected what you want, tap the trash icon or Delete option. For individual messages, open a conversation, long-press the message, and choose Remove or Delete.

What happens after you delete messages

On phones and computers, deleted messages usually go to a trash or deleted items folder first. They stay there for a set number of days — typically 30 days — before being permanently removed. During this time, you can usually recover them by opening the trash folder and moving them back.

Once messages are permanently deleted, they are gone from your device. However, if you back up your phone to iCloud, Google Drive, OneDrive, or another cloud service, those messages may still exist in your backup. Backups are separate from your device, so deleting messages from your phone does not automatically delete them from your backup. If you want them completely gone, you would need to delete your backup or create a new backup after the messages are deleted.

Some messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram let you set messages to delete automatically after a certain time — for example, all messages older than 90 days. This happens in the background without you having to do anything. Check your app's settings to see if this option is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover messages after I delete them?

If you deleted them recently, check your Trash or Deleted Items folder — most services keep deleted messages there for 30 days. If they are gone from trash, you may be able to recover them from a backup if you have one. After 30 days, most services permanently delete messages and recovery is not possible.

Will deleting messages from my phone also delete them from my backup?

No. Backups are separate from your device. Deleting messages from your phone does not remove them from iCloud, Google Drive, or other backups. If you want them completely gone, you need to delete your backup or create a new backup after the messages are deleted.

How do I delete messages automatically without doing it manually?

Gmail and Outlook let you create filters or rules that automatically delete messages matching certain criteria, like messages from a specific sender or with certain words. WhatsApp, Telegram, and some other apps have settings to auto-delete messages older than a certain number of days. Check your app's Settings menu for these options.

What if I only want to delete messages from one person?

Open the conversation with that person and use the select or delete options within that conversation. On most apps, you can long-press individual messages to delete them one at a time, or select multiple messages in that conversation and delete them together. Deleting a conversation removes all messages from that person at once.

Are deleted messages visible to other people?

Once you delete a message from your device, other people cannot see it on your phone. However, they still have the message on their device unless they delete it too. Some apps like WhatsApp let you delete a message for everyone within a few minutes of sending it, which removes it from the other person's phone as well, but this only works during a short time window.