Unfortunately, you cannot remove the "This message was deleted" notification or placeholder from your WhatsApp chat once it appears. This message is a permanent indicator within the chat that a sender retracted a message after sending it.
Understanding Deleted Messages in WhatsApp
When a message is deleted in WhatsApp, it's replaced with the "This message was deleted" notification for all recipients if the sender chose to delete it for everyone. This placeholder acts as a record that communication occurred but was subsequently removed by the sender.
Why You Can't Remove the 'Deleted' Notification
The inability to remove this specific notification stems from WhatsApp's design:
- Sender's Action: The notification appears because the sender actively chose to delete the message for everyone. This action is recorded in the chat history for all participants.
- Maintaining Context: While the original content is gone, the placeholder maintains the flow of the conversation by indicating that something was sent and then removed.
- No Recipient Control: As a recipient, you don't have the option to make this specific notification disappear without altering the entire chat history.
What Happens When a Message is Deleted?
There are two primary ways messages can be deleted in WhatsApp, each with different implications:
| Deletion Type | Who Can See the Original Message? | What Happens? |
|---|---|---|
| Delete for Everyone | No one (sender, recipients) | The message is replaced with "This message was deleted" for all chat participants. |
| Delete for Me | Sender and other recipients (if applicable) | The message is only removed from your chat view. Others can still see it. |
When a message is deleted, there is generally no way to retrieve its content. The only exception is if the message was included in a backup before it was deleted, and you choose to restore that specific backup.
Managing Your WhatsApp Chat History
While you can't remove the "This message was deleted" placeholder individually, you have options to manage your chat history:
- Clear Chat: This option removes all messages from a specific chat, including the "This message was deleted" notifications, but keeps the chat listed in your "Chats" tab.
- Open the chat.
- Tap on the chat name/contact name at the top.
- Scroll down and select Clear Chat.
- Confirm your choice.
- Delete Chat: This completely removes the chat from your "Chats" tab, effectively deleting all messages and the entire conversation history from your device.
- Go to your "Chats" tab.
- On Android: Long-press on the chat, then tap the trash can icon.
- On iOS: Swipe left on the chat, then tap More > Delete Chat.
- Confirm your choice.
Important Considerations for Deleted Messages
- Message Recovery: Once a message is deleted, especially "for everyone," its content is gone. The only potential way to get it back is through restoring a WhatsApp backup created before the deletion occurred. For more details on backups, refer to WhatsApp's official help page.
- Editing Messages: If you sent a message and made a mistake, you can edit it within 15 minutes of sending, rather than deleting it. This allows you to correct the content without showing a "deleted" notification. Learn more about editing messages on WhatsApp's official guide.
