How to Delete Facebook Messages (For You or for Everyone)

Facebook messages live in Messenger, so deleting them happens there, whether you're on the Facebook app, the Messenger app or a computer. The part that catches people out is that there are two very different kinds of delete. One removes a message only from your own screen. The other removes it for everyone in the chat. Here's how each one works, how to clear a whole conversation, and what you can't undo. Menu names shift between app versions, so if a label looks different on your phone, look for Remove or Unsend in the same spot.

Two ways to delete a Facebook message

Option	Who loses the message	Good for
Unsend (remove for everyone)	You and everyone else in the chat	A message sent by mistake or to the wrong person
Remove for you	Only you	Tidying your own inbox
Delete the whole chat	Only you	Clearing an old conversation from your list

Unsend only works on messages you sent yourself. You can't unsend someone else's message, though you can remove it from your own view.

How to unsend a Facebook message for everyone

1. Open the chat in the Messenger app or Facebook app.
2. Press and hold the message you sent (on a computer, hover over it and click the three dots).
3. Tap Remove or More, depending on your version.
4. Choose Unsend, which may also be labelled Remove for everyone or Delete for everyone.
5. Confirm.

The message disappears from the chat for everyone, and a short note shows that a message was removed. That note can't be hidden, so people will know something was there. Older guides talk about a short time limit on unsending. Facebook has changed this over the years, so if Unsend doesn't appear for an older message, that's likely why, and you'll only see Remove for you.

How to delete a Facebook message just for you

1. Open the chat and press and hold the message (or hover and click the three dots on a computer).
2. Tap Remove or More.
3. Choose Remove for you and confirm.

This tidies your own copy only. The other person still has the message in their chat. It's handy for clearing out a message you'd rather not see again, but it isn't a privacy tool.

How to delete a whole Facebook message conversation

If you want an entire thread gone from your inbox, delete the chat instead of picking off messages one by one.

1. In the Messenger chat list, press and hold the conversation (on iPhone you can also swipe left).
2. Tap Delete.
3. Confirm that you want to delete the whole chat.

On a computer, hover over the chat in your list, click the three dots and choose Delete chat. Deleting a chat removes it from your inbox only. The other person keeps their copy, so it's not a way to erase what you've said. If you'd rather keep the conversation but hide it, archive it instead, which moves it out of your main list without deleting anything.

Deleting Facebook messages from a business Page inbox

If you manage a Facebook Page, the Page's messages sit in the Page inbox (in Meta Business Suite or the Page's own inbox view). You can delete or archive a conversation there in much the same way. Before you clear anything with a customer, think about whether you'll need it later for an order query, a booking or a complaint. I usually archive rather than delete for that reason, because an archived chat is easy to find again. You might also find my guide on blocking someone on Messenger useful if a conversation has turned into spam.

Can you get deleted Facebook messages back?

Once you remove a message or delete a chat, there's no recycle bin in Messenger to bring it back. The usual exceptions are that the other person may still have their copy, and that a download of your Facebook information taken before you deleted it may contain the conversation. The same thinking applies to your posts, and I've compared the options in deleting or hiding a Facebook post. The safest habit is simple: archive anything you might need again, and only delete what you're sure about.

If you can't delete a Facebook message

• Update the Facebook or Messenger app, because the options move between versions.
• Check it's your own message if you're looking for Unsend. Other people's messages only offer Remove for you.
• For older messages, Unsend may no longer be offered. Remove for you still works.
• Restart the app or log out and back in if the menu won't open.
• In some chats, such as certain group or business chats, options can be limited.

A note on privacy before deleting Facebook messages

Deleting a message doesn't guarantee the other person hasn't already read it, screenshotted it or forwarded it. If you've shared something sensitive, such as a password or bank detail, change it straight away rather than relying on Unsend. And if someone's sending you messages that threaten or harass you, keep the evidence and report the conversation before you delete anything. If you're in danger, contact the police.

Frequently asked questions

Does deleting a Facebook message delete it for the other person?

Only if you use Unsend (remove for everyone). Remove for you and Delete chat only clear your own copy.

Will someone know I unsent a message?

Yes. A note in the chat shows that a message was removed, though not what it said.

Can I unsend a message I sent a long time ago?

Not always. If Unsend doesn't appear for an older message, you'll only be able to remove it for yourself.

Can I delete someone else's message from our chat?

You can remove it from your own view, but you can't delete it for them.

Is archiving the same as deleting?

No. Archiving hides the chat from your main list but keeps it, so you can find it later. Deleting removes it from your inbox.