How to Unsend Messages in Facebook Messenger

Remove a message from your view or everyone's inbox

By Robert Earl Wells III
Updated on November 12, 2022

What to Know

  • On the web: Hover over message > select three dots > Remove > Unsend for Everyone > Okay.
  • In Messenger app: Tap and hold message > select More > Unsend > Unsend for Everyone > OK.

This article explains how to permanently unsend a message you've sent using Facebook Messenger. You can remove the message from your own chat history or for everyone on the chat.

How to Unsend Facebook Messages in a Web Browser

From Facebook on the web, go to the message you want to rescind, and then follow these steps:

  1. Select More (three dots), and then select Remove.

    The More symbol and Remove command for a Facebook message highlighted in Messenger on the desktop

  2. Select Unsend for everyone to remove the comment from the conversation, and then select Remove.

    The "Unsend for everyone" option and Remove highlighted in Messenger on the desktop

  3. Select Okay to confirm.

    The Okay button highlighted in Messenger on the desktop

  4. The text you sent is gone. In its place, a bubble says, "You unsent a message." This bubble is visible to all participants.

    The "You Unsent a Message" bubble highlighted in Messenger on the desktop

When Facebook first rolled out the unsend feature for Messenger, users had 10 minutes to remove a message. However, Facebook removed this limitation, and you can now remove messages at any point.

How to Unsend Messages in the Facebook Messenger App

Whether you have an Android or an iPhone, the process for unsending a message sent from the app is the same. Follow these steps:

  1. Tap and hold the message you want to unsend.

  2. Select More.

  3. Tap Unsend.

    The More and Unsend options for a Facebook message highlighted

  4. Choose Unsend for Everyone to remove the message from all chat participants' threads. Alternatively, tap Unsend for You to remove it from your chat but leave it on other participants' threads.

  5. Select OK to confirm.

  6. The item you unsent has "You unsent a message" in its place. Everyone in the conversation can see this.

    Unsending a message in Facebook Messenger

The unsend feature might not be available if you use a messaging app that integrates with Facebook other than Facebook Messenger.

Why Would You Want to Unsend Facebook Messages?

Let's say you just sent a message you instantly regretted, or you accidentally sent a personal message to the wrong person. Until 2018, Facebook messages could not be unsent or removed from the recipient's inbox. Now, you can take back your words, GIFs, emojis, or anything else you sent to an individual or group of people.

Can People Still See Unsent Facebook Messages?

Unsending a message deletes it from the conversation, so it might disappear before the recipient actually sees it. However, it's very possible they've already viewed the message, especially if it was sent some time previously. The recipient will see that you've unsent a message.

As part of its mission to prevent cyberbullying, Facebook administrators can see unsent messages for 14 after they're unsent in case a message is reported for policy violations. To report the conversation, tap the person's name, scroll down, and tap Report.

FAQ
  • How do I find archived messages in Facebook Messenger?

    Open the Messenger app and tap your profile picture. Select Archived chats. If you want to un-archive a chat, swipe left on it and tap Unarchive. Tap More to mark it as unread, restrict it, delete it, or block the sender.

  • How do I delete messages in Facebook Messenger?

    To delete messages on Facebook Messenger in a browser, launch Facebook, select the Messenger icon > See All in Messenger. Select a message, hover the cursor over it, and select More (three dots) > Remove. In the Messenger app, tap and hold a message and tap Remove.

  • How do I recover deleted Facebook messages?

    There's no official way to recover deleted Facebook Messenger messages; however, you can check to see if the message was archived instead of deleted. You can also download your Facebook data to see if the deleted messages are included. (Go to your Messenger account settings and select Download Profile Information.)

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