You can delete a message you sent in Messenger, but the other person will see it was removed
Facebook Messenger lets you delete messages you've sent, but it works differently than you might expect. When you delete a message, it disappears from your own chat history, and the other person sees a notification that you removed a message — they don't see what the message said. You cannot delete messages that someone else sent to you, and you cannot unsend a message after a certain amount of time has passed.
The exact time limit for deletion varies. On most devices, you have around 10 minutes to delete a message after sending it, though this can change. After that window closes, the delete option stops appearing. If you need to remove a message urgently, act quickly.
Key Takeaways
- You can only delete messages you sent yourself, not messages from other people.
- The other person will see that you deleted a message, but they won't see what it said.
- You typically have about 10 minutes to delete a message before the option disappears.
- The steps are different on mobile phones, tablets, and computers, but the basic process is the same.
How to delete a message on your phone or tablet
Open the Messenger app and find the conversation containing the message you want to delete. Locate the specific message you sent. Press and hold on the message until a menu appears with several options.
Look for the option that says "Remove" or "Delete" — the exact wording depends on your device and which version of Messenger you have installed. Tap that option. The message will disappear from your chat, and the other person will see a note saying you removed a message.
If you don't see a delete or remove option when you press and hold, the message is too old. Messenger stops letting you delete messages after a set time, usually around 10 minutes. In that case, you cannot remove it.
How to delete a message on a computer or web browser
Go to Facebook.com and open Messenger, or go directly to Messenger.com. Find the conversation with the message you want to delete. Hover your mouse over the message you sent until a small menu or set of icons appears to the right of it.
Click on the three dots or menu icon that appears. A dropdown menu will show several options. Select "Remove" or "Delete." The message will disappear from your chat window, and the other person will see that you removed a message.
Like on mobile, if the message is older than the time limit — usually around 10 minutes — you won't see the remove option at all. Once that window closes, the message cannot be deleted.
What the other person sees when you delete a message
When you delete a message, the other person doesn't see the content of what you wrote. Instead, they see a notification in the chat that says something like "[Name] removed a message" or "[Name] unsent a message." The exact wording varies slightly depending on their device and Messenger version.
This notification stays in the conversation history, so the other person knows you removed something, but they have no way to see what the message contained. If you're trying to hide something you said, keep in mind that the other person will know you deleted it — they just won't know what it was.
Why you might not see the delete option
The most common reason the delete option doesn't appear is that too much time has passed. Messenger sets a time limit on how long you can delete a message after sending it. This limit is usually around 10 minutes, though it can vary slightly depending on your device and the version of Messenger you're using.
Another reason is that you're trying to delete a message someone else sent to you. You can only delete messages from your own chat history — you cannot remove messages that other people sent. If you want to hide a conversation, you can mute it or archive it instead, but that's different from deleting individual messages.
If Messenger is outdated, the delete feature might not work properly. Make sure your Messenger app is updated to the latest version. On a phone, check your app store (Google Play for Android, App Store for iPhone). On a computer, Messenger usually updates automatically when you refresh the page.
Archiving or muting a conversation instead of deleting messages
If you want to hide a conversation without deleting individual messages, Messenger offers other options. You can archive a conversation, which removes it from your main chat list but keeps all the messages. To archive, press and hold the conversation name (on mobile) or right-click it (on computer), then select "Archive."
You can also mute a conversation so you don't get notifications from it, but the messages stay visible when you open the chat. On mobile, swipe left on the conversation and tap the mute icon. On computer, hover over the conversation and click the bell icon.
These options are useful if you want to clean up your chat list without losing the message history. Archived conversations can be unarchived later by scrolling to the bottom of your chat list and selecting "Archived Chats."
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a message someone else sent to me?
No. You can only delete messages you sent yourself. If you want to remove a message from your view, you can delete the entire conversation, but that removes all messages in that chat. The other person will still have their copy of the conversation.
Will the other person know what I deleted?
They'll know you deleted something because they'll see a notification saying you removed a message. They won't see the content of what you deleted, but they'll know a message was there and you took it down.
How long do I have to delete a message?
You typically have about 10 minutes to delete a message after sending it. This time limit can vary slightly depending on your device and Messenger version. Once the time passes, the delete option stops appearing.
What's the difference between deleting and archiving a conversation?
Deleting individual messages removes them from your chat history, and the other person sees a notification. Archiving a whole conversation hides it from your main chat list but keeps all messages. You can unarchive it later to see the full history.
Why isn't the delete option showing up?
The most common reason is that more than 10 minutes have passed since you sent the message. You might also be trying to delete a message someone else sent, which isn't possible. Make sure your Messenger app is updated to the latest version.