How to Delete a WhatsApp Status (One Update at a Time)

You post a Status, then spot a typo, a blurry photo or something you'd rather not share. It happens to all of us. The good news is that deleting a WhatsApp Status takes a few taps, and you can remove just one update without touching the others. If you use Status for your business, it's worth knowing how to pull one quickly. Below are the steps from WhatsApp's help pages, what to know about people who've already seen it, and how to change who sees future updates.

Delete a WhatsApp Status on Android

1. Open WhatsApp and tap Updates, then My status.
2. Tap the status you want to remove.
3. Tap the three dots, then Delete, then Delete again to confirm.

Delete a WhatsApp Status on iPhone

1. Open WhatsApp and tap Updates, then My status.
2. On the status you want to remove, tap the three dots.
3. Tap Delete, then Delete 1 status update.

Menus vary by app version, so if you don't see those exact words, open your own status and look for the delete option next to the update.

Delete one WhatsApp Status update without losing the others

Each photo, video or text in your Status is its own update, so you can pick out a single mistake and leave the rest in place. WhatsApp's help pages say you can't delete multiple statuses at once. If you want to remove several, repeat the steps for each one.

Can you edit a WhatsApp Status instead of deleting it?

It depends on your phone. WhatsApp's help pages say that on Android you can't edit the photo, video or audience of a status, but you can edit its caption within 15 minutes of posting. Open Updates, then My status, tap the status and tap the edit icon next to the caption. If your status doesn't have a caption, there's no edit option. On iPhone, WhatsApp says you can't edit statuses at all, so you delete the update and share a new one.

How long does a WhatsApp Status last before it deletes itself?

WhatsApp's help pages say status updates are available online for 24 hours. So if an update isn't urgent, it'll vanish by itself. Deleting is for the ones you can't wait to get rid of.

What happens to people who already saw your WhatsApp Status

WhatsApp's help pages say that if a contact is having connection problems, a deleted status update might still be visible to them. If you delete a status that had mentions, the people you mentioned might no longer see it. The pages I read don't describe any way to un-show an update to someone who already looked at it, so treat deleting as a tidy-up, not an undo. Anyone could also have taken a screenshot while it was up.

If you're curious who looked, my guide to why your WhatsApp status views aren't showing explains the viewer list and what can stop it appearing. WhatsApp says that if you've turned off read receipts, you can't see who viewed your status, and if a contact has turned them off, you can't see whether they've viewed it.

Before you post your next WhatsApp Status

A few habits save you from deleting in a hurry. Look at the preview before you tap send. Check what's in the background of a photo, such as a screen, a letter or a street name. Make sure the right audience is set, especially if you mix family, friends and customers in your contacts. Post only what you'd be comfortable with a contact screenshotting, because that's always possible.

Choose who sees your next WhatsApp Status

If the issue is who sees your updates, rather than the update itself, you can change that. WhatsApp says your statuses are shared with all your contacts by default, and you can limit the audience:

1. Tap Updates, then the three-dot menu.
2. Tap Status privacy.
3. Choose My contacts, My contacts except to exclude people, or Only share with to pick specific contacts.

WhatsApp's help pages say changes to your privacy settings won't affect any status you've already shared, so set your audience before you post. They also say that if you delete a contact who has viewed a status, that contact stays on the viewer list until the status expires. If you'd like to look at an older update's views, see my guide to seeing who viewed your WhatsApp status after 24 hours.

Hide someone else's WhatsApp Status instead of deleting yours

People sometimes search for this when they mean the opposite: they don't want to see someone else's updates. WhatsApp's help pages say you can hide a status by tapping it in Updates, then the three dots, then Hide. Hidden statuses move to a Hidden updates section, and you can unhide them later. Hiding doesn't change whether that person can see yours. To exclude someone from your own status, use your status audience settings above.

Posted a WhatsApp Status by mistake?

Delete it straight away using the steps above, then check your Status privacy so it can't reach the wrong audience next time. If you want to keep a copy of an update before you delete it, WhatsApp says you can save your own status to your device from My status, and view it in your gallery or Photos app. If someone has been abusive about something you posted, block or report them, and if you're in danger, contact the police.

Deleting a WhatsApp Status for your business account

If you post offers or opening times on a business account, delete anything out of date as soon as you notice, because a stale update looks careless. Look for the same Updates and My status route, though menus vary by app version. Since updates vanish on their own after 24 hours, it's often better to post fresh ones than to leave old ones running.

If you can't delete your WhatsApp Status

• Check that you're opening your own update under My status, not someone else's.
• Update the app, because the delete option may sit in a different place on older versions.
• WhatsApp says you need at least 1GB of storage available on your device to view statuses, so try clearing some phone storage if the Status screen won't load.
• Check your connection and try again in a moment.

Frequently asked questions

How do I delete a WhatsApp Status?

Tap Updates, then My status, tap the status, then use the three dots and choose Delete. On Android you confirm with a second Delete. On iPhone you choose Delete 1 status update.

Can I delete just one WhatsApp Status update?

Yes. Each update is separate. WhatsApp says you can't delete multiple statuses at once, so you remove them one at a time.

How long does a WhatsApp Status stay up?

WhatsApp's help pages say status updates are available online for 24 hours.

If I delete a Status, can people who saw it still see it?

WhatsApp says a contact with connection problems might still see a deleted update. It doesn't describe a way to undo views, and anyone could have taken a screenshot.

Can I hide my Status from one person?

Yes. Go to Updates, then Status privacy, and choose My contacts except. WhatsApp says changes don't affect statuses you've already shared.