You can delete Instagram DMs one at a time, or delete an entire conversation at once

Instagram lets you remove direct messages in two ways: delete individual messages within a conversation, or delete the whole conversation. Deleting a message removes it from your inbox, but the person you messaged still sees it on their end — Instagram doesn't have an unsend feature that erases messages from both sides. If you want the other person to not see a message, you need to delete the conversation before they read it, though they may have already seen a notification.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Instagram on your phone or a computer, and whether you're using the main Instagram app or Instagram.com in a browser.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleting a message from your inbox does not delete it from the other person's inbox — they will still see it unless you delete the entire conversation before they open it.
  • On the Instagram app, swipe left on a message to delete it, or long-press a conversation name and tap Delete to remove the whole chat.
  • On Instagram.com, right-click a message or conversation to see the delete option.
  • Once deleted, you cannot undo the action, so make sure you want to remove the message before confirming.
  • Instagram keeps no record of deleted messages on your account, but the other person's copy remains unless you deleted the entire conversation before they saw it.

Delete a single message on the Instagram app

Open Instagram and go to your Direct Messages by tapping the paper airplane icon in the top right corner. Find the conversation that contains the message you want to delete and open it.

Press and hold the message you want to remove. A menu will appear with options. Tap Delete. The message disappears from your inbox immediately. The other person will still see the message in their conversation unless you deleted the entire chat before they opened it.

Delete an entire conversation on the Instagram app

Open Instagram and tap the paper airplane icon to go to Direct Messages. Find the conversation you want to delete and swipe left on it (on iPhone) or long-press it (on Android). A delete button will appear.

Tap or press Delete. Instagram will ask you to confirm. Tap Delete again. The entire conversation disappears from your inbox. If the other person has not opened the conversation yet, they will not see your messages, but if they have already read them, the messages remain visible on their end.

Delete messages on Instagram.com

Log into Instagram.com and click the Direct Messages icon (the paper airplane) in the top left. Click the conversation that contains the message you want to delete.

Right-click the message you want to remove. A menu appears with a Delete option. Click it. The message is removed from your inbox. To delete the entire conversation, right-click the conversation name in the left sidebar and select Delete Chat.

What happens to deleted messages

When you delete a message or conversation from your account, Instagram removes it from your inbox only. The other person's copy of the message stays in their inbox unless you deleted the entire conversation before they saw it. There is no way to unsend or recall a message after the other person has read it.

Instagram does not send a notification to the other person when you delete a message. They will only notice if they look back at the conversation and see that a message is missing. Deleted messages cannot be recovered — Instagram keeps no backup or archive of messages you have deleted.

Why you might not see a delete option

If you cannot find a delete option for a message, the conversation may have ended or the other person may have blocked you. Blocked accounts cannot send or receive messages. You also cannot delete messages from group conversations in the same way — you can only leave the group or delete the entire group chat from your inbox.

If you are using an older version of the Instagram app, update it from the App Store or Google Play. Older versions sometimes lack the delete feature or have a different interface for accessing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the other person see that I deleted a message?

No, Instagram does not notify the other person when you delete a message. They will only know if they look back at the conversation and notice a message is missing. If you delete the entire conversation before they read it, they will not see the messages at all.

Can I delete a message after the other person has read it?

Yes, you can delete it from your inbox, but it will still appear in theirs. Deleting a message only removes it from your side of the conversation. If you want to prevent them from seeing it, you must delete the entire conversation before they open it.

What's the difference between deleting a message and deleting a conversation?

Deleting a single message removes only that one message from your inbox. Deleting a conversation removes all messages between you and that person from your inbox. Either way, the other person still sees their copy unless you deleted the entire conversation before they read it.

Can I recover a deleted message?

No, deleted messages cannot be recovered. Once you confirm the deletion, the message is gone from your account permanently. Instagram does not keep a backup of deleted messages.

Does deleting a conversation mean I'm blocking the person?

No, deleting a conversation only removes it from your inbox. The other person can still message you, and a new conversation will appear when they do. Blocking is a separate action that prevents someone from messaging you at all.