WhatsApp's New Accidental Delete Feature Lets You Undo 'Delete For Me' So You Can 'Delete For All' Instead

[MacRumors]

WhatsApp has rolled out a new group chat feature that lets you undo the "Delete for Me" action, to avoid potentially embarrassing scenarios where you accidentally delete a message only for yourself instead of removing it from the conversation for everyone.

Called "Accidental Delete," the new feature adds a five-second window to let users reverse an unintentional Delete for Me action and completely delete it from the group chat.

Previously, if you accidentally tapped Delete for Me, there was no way to undo it, leaving the message inaccessible to you but freely viewable to everyone else. By introducing a small time window to roll back the action, Accidental Delete aims to help users avoid such situations.

WhatsApp says the new feature is available to all users on Android and iOS.

WhatsApp introduced the ability to delete and revoke messages up to seven minutes after they've been sent in October 2017. WhatsApp later extended the time window in which users can delete a message they already sent to a person or group to over an hour.

Article Link: WhatsApp's New Accidental Delete Feature Lets You Undo 'Delete For Me' So You Can 'Delete For All' Instead

 

[Shafa]

I don't really see the point in 'delete for me' feature except to manufacture a complete fabricated chat history. Why not just delete for all or nothing?

 

[peneaux]

I use Signal and try to stay away from WhatsApp. Unfortunately a lot of people use it. I had to use a burner phone to register because I don't want Facebook to know who I message and get my phone number from someone else's contacts. I use it without giving access to my contacts list.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

It still shows the other person that you deleted something and usually that person wants to know what you deleted and why. Of course you could always say you sent a message to the wrong person, but I prefer deletions on Instagram that do not even leave a trace. You can even delete old messages on Instagram for both sides and the other side will not know that a message has been there unless it got an email notification for every message.

WhatsApp really needs the option to choose a different background colour for every chat. That reduces the likelihood to send a message to the wrong person. A few times I have sent really embarrassing messages to the wrong person. Imagine you are "sexting", but send that message to someone else.

 

[mystery hill]

WhatsApp really needs the option to choose a different background colour for every chat. That reduces the likelihood to send a message to the wrong person.

WhatsApp already has an option to set a custom background for different chats. The setting can be found in the ‘Contact Info’ section.

 

[mystery hill]

I don't really see the point in 'delete for me' feature except to manufacture a complete fabricated chat history. Why not just delete for all or nothing?

Deleting videos and photos from WhatsApp chats when your phone is running low on space.

 

[Sirious]

good addition
I might be in the minority here, but I wish iMessage had a cleaner UI for deleting etc...

 

[sparky1499]

I just want an iPad app.

 

[kkng]

Wait a minute - normally iPhones are being used to demonstrate these kinds of things. Is "Meta" using an Android phone as some kind of subtle protest because of the ongoing beef between Apple and Meta regarding cross-app tracking? Lol.

 

[DaPizzaMan]

Wait a minute - normally iPhones are being used to demonstrate these kinds of things. Is "Meta" using an Android phone as some kind of subtle protest because of the ongoing beef between Apple and Meta regarding cross-app tracking? Lol.

Too much conspiracy juice. What would the point of that be?

 

[kkng]

Too much conspiracy juice. What would the point of that be?

I don't know. Was just an idea, because 99% of the time these sorts of things are demonstrated with iPhone "models". Would be funny if they chose an Android phone on purpose.

 

[Burger Thing]

WhatsApp wipes the floor with iMessages. It is so far ahead in its feature set and usability, it makes me really sad. And no, I don't like Meta and yes, I wish iMessage was a viable alternative used worldwide.

 

[iStorm]

I don't really see the point in 'delete for me' feature except to manufacture a complete fabricated chat history. Why not just delete for all or nothing?

I can think of many reasons for having this. As one already mentioned, to delete photos and videos that take up space. Another would be to hide surprises/gifts from prying eyes.

 

[FightTheFuture]

WhatsApp wipes the floor with iMessages. It is so far ahead in its feature set and usability, it makes me really sad. And no, I don't like Meta and yes, I wish iMessage was a viable alternative used worldwide.

Yes this delete for me feature is truly the pinnacle of technology and communication.

 

[IamTimCook]

Are people really using Meta’s What’s App? I constantly hear about privacy violations from the app like text something about item “X” and then constantly see adds for it. I mean for F sake it’s a Meta/FaceBook owned company.

It’s so surreal that every time there is a What’s App article or iMessage article the comment section here is filled with “What’s App!” “Whats App we love you ❤️❤️❤️” Whats App #1” “Whats App is the best” kind of comments. Lol 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

[123]

Great example of not fixing the actual issue but adding another workaround. The obvious fix is to remove the "Delete for me" option as there are absolutely no use cases for this. And even if we pretend that there are, then that feature could be protected from accidentally pressing it. But hey, no, let's rather invent an undo flow that is available for 5 seconds that will have to be used by everyone because it is still way to easy to mistype.

 

[hirsthirst]

There's been a set of WhatsApp group chat screenshots from the UK circulating recently where 'the wrong photo' (very wrong in this case) was sent to a big group by accident. When pointed out to them, the sender panicked and deleted for themselves only in error, which of course guaranteed the photo couldn't then be deleted at all ...

In the heat of the moment I'm not sure that a 5-second do-over would've helped on that occasion, but it's an improvement.

More widely as others have said above, I personally prefer to avoid Meta products, but it seems if anything to be growing in popularity for group chats. In our extended family we only have one non-iPhone user, but we all have to use WA for him

 

[hirsthirst]

Great example of not fixing the actual issue but adding another workaround. The obvious fix is to remove the "Delete for me" option as there are absolutely no use cases for this. And even if we pretend that there are, then that feature could be protected from accidentally pressing it. But hey, no, let's rather invent an undo flow that is available for 5 seconds that will have to be used by everyone because it is still way to easy to mistype.

exactly this, yes!

 

[noSpeed]

good addition
I might be in the minority here, but I wish iMessage had a cleaner UI for deleting etc...

Apple’s iMessage is stuck in the SMS era…total trash.

 

[nvmls]

WhatsApp wipes the floor with iMessages. It is so far ahead in its feature set and usability, it makes me really sad. And no, I don't like Meta and yes, I wish iMessage was a viable alternative used worldwide.

Couldn't agree more!

It's actually quite hilarious how some Apple fans will buy anything with a fruit logo on it, without even demanding basic software quality/functionality.

 

[IamTimCook]

Couldn't agree more!

It's actually quite hilarious how some Apple fans will buy anything with a fruit logo on it, without even demanding basic software quality/functionality.

Facebook didn’t buy Whats App for 19 Billion out of the goodness of their heart to provide a better message app. Lol
And people who choose iMessage over Whats App aren’t die hard Fan Boys.

Facebook/Meta is an advertising company they make their money buy scanning any info including personal you type into their product.

I get it, this site has a crew of peeps who need to type “fan boy” at least ten times a day or the joke isn’t funny. 😁
As original as that troll is (/s) at least plant your troll flag on the Signal app or Telegram app hill. Planting it in the Whats App hill just makes the troll sound ridiculous. Or maybe that’s part of the joke and I’m missing the humor. Lol

 

[chickenpiccata]

Are people really using Meta’s What’s App? I constantly hear about privacy violations from the app like text something about item “X” and then constantly see adds for it. I mean for F sake it’s a Meta/FaceBook owned company.

I have been using WhatsApp for years with family members and I have never seen an ad. (We have never paid anything for it.)

 

[IamTimCook]

I have been using WhatsApp for years with family members and I have never seen an ad. (We have never paid anything for it.)

It’s not necessarily that app that you’ll see the add, it’s across all other Meta products mostly FB. i.e. message wife in Whats App about a pair of Nikes you want then next time in FB get bombarded by Nike Adds.

Which means Meta is scanning every message for relevant words and then targeting you with curated adds.

Scanning a Facebook post is one thing, you’re already putting that info out to the public. But your personal private message you send to another person… that’s the app people want to use?

 

[nvmls]

Facebook didn’t buy Whats App for 19 Billion out of the goodness of their heart to provide a better message app. Lol
And people who choose iMessage over Whats App aren’t die hard Fan Boys.

Facebook/Meta is an advertising company they make their money buy scanning any info including personal you type into their product.

I get it, this site has a crew of peeps who need to type “fan boy” at least ten times a day or the joke isn’t funny. 😁
As original as that troll is (/s) at least plant your troll flag on the Signal app or Telegram app hill. Planting it in the Whats App hill just makes the troll sound ridiculous. Or maybe that’s part of the joke and I’m missing the humor. Lol

🤣

Sure.

 

[Compile 'em all]

I like the idea of using a burner phone for WhatsApp. Can one use eSim on iPhone to register WhatsApp?