Delete Twitter (X) Messages From Both Sides: What's Possible

You've sent a message you wish you hadn't, or you want a conversation off the other person's screen as well as yours. It's a common worry, whether you're a business owner who sent the wrong quote or someone who just fired off a reply too fast.

I've gone through X's help pages on Direct Messages and on Chat to give you the plain picture. X (formerly Twitter) is clear that regular deletion is one-sided, and I'd rather tell you that now than have you hunt for a button that isn't there.

What deleting a Twitter message does on X

The help page about Direct Messages says that when you delete a Direct Message or conversation, sent or received, it's deleted from your account only. Others in the conversation will still be able to see the messages or conversations you've deleted.

So there's no ordinary delete-for-everyone option for classic DMs in X's help pages. Deleting cleans your own inbox and nothing more. If a message was sent and read, the other person keeps their copy.

How to delete a single message or a whole X conversation

Even though it's one-sided, you may still want to tidy your side. X's help page gives different steps per device.

On an iPhone

1. Tap and hold the message and select Delete message from the menu that pops up.
2. To delete a whole conversation, swipe left on it in your inbox and tap the trash can icon.
3. Or tap the information icon and select Delete conversation on the Conversation info page.

On Android

1. Tap and hold the message and select Delete message.
2. For a whole conversation, tap and hold it in your inbox and select Delete conversation.
3. You can also tap the information icon and choose Delete conversation from the Conversation info page.

On x.com

1. Click the message and select Delete.
2. To leave a conversation, open it, click the information icon and select Leave conversation.

The exception: unsending a message in X Chat

X has a newer messaging feature called Chat. X's help page describes it as an encrypted direct messaging feature that uses end-to-end encryption. In that page, X says Chat allows users to unsend a message, which removes it from the recipient's inbox.

There's an important limit. X says unsending is only possible for encrypted messages, so it doesn't apply to a regular DM. And X adds that the recipient may still be able to see an encrypted message or conversation you've deleted. So even here, I wouldn't promise anyone that a message is gone for good.

X's help text doesn't spell out the exact tap or click for unsending, so I won't make one up. Look in the message's menu in Chat on your own screen, and use the wording you see there.

Disappearing messages in X Chat

If your concern is future messages, Chat has another tool. X says it offers disappearing messages, where you choose a duration after which messages are deleted from the device and X's servers. To set it, go to the conversation info screen and tap the Disappearing messages menu.

This is a better answer than deleting afterwards if you regularly share things like draft quotes or private details with a collaborator, because you decide the lifespan before you hit send. It only works inside Chat conversations, so it won't change how an ordinary DM behaves.

Leaving versus deleting a group conversation on X

Groups work a little differently. X's help page says that when you delete a group conversation, you leave that group and can no longer take part. On iPhone and Android you can also tap Leave conversation to remove yourself.

What deleting a message on X doesn't do

• It doesn't remove the message from the other person's inbox, for a regular DM.
• It doesn't stop that account sending you messages later. X says deleting or leaving an encrypted conversation won't prevent the other person from sending you a DM in the future.
• It doesn't stop screenshots, so treat anything you send as something that could be kept.

If you want someone to stop messaging you, my reading of X's help is that blocking is the tool for that, not deleting. X's page on Direct Messages says deleting won't prevent that account from sending you messages in the future, and that blocked accounts can't message you unless you unblock them.

Practical ways to avoid regretting an X message

• Read before you send, especially anything with client details or numbers.
• Use Chat's disappearing messages for sensitive conversations.
• Keep important decisions in an email thread you can refer back to.
• If a message was sent to the wrong person, delete your copy and, if it matters, tell them honestly.

If a conversation is harassing or threatening, report it to X, and if you're in danger, contact the police. Deleting it from your side won't stop it. Other platforms behave differently, so you may find my guides to deleting messages on Snapchat and deleting TikTok messages useful for comparison.

This guide is part of my Twitter (X) Help: 21 Guides to Features, Verification, Video Fixes and Tools.

Frequently asked questions

Can you delete Twitter messages from both sides?

Not with a regular Direct Message. X's help page says deleting removes it from your account only and others can still see it. In encrypted Chat you can unsend a message, but X says the recipient may still be able to see it.

How do I delete a message on X?

On iPhone or Android, tap and hold the message and select Delete message. On x.com, click the message and select Delete.

What does unsend mean on X?

X says Chat lets users unsend a message, which removes it from the recipient's inbox. This only works for encrypted messages.

Does deleting a conversation stop the person messaging me?

No. X says deleting a message won't prevent that account sending you messages in future. You can block or report the account instead.

Can I make X messages disappear automatically?

In Chat, yes. X says you can choose a duration after which messages are deleted from the device and X's servers, using the Disappearing messages menu on the conversation info screen.