Have you ever been in the situation where you send a text and realize immediately after sending that you've made an embarrassing mistake? You may even have sent the message to the wrong person! In this article, we will give you practical tips for deleting an SMS after sending it.
Although it may seem impossible, there are actually methods to cancel an SMS sent by mistake. We will explain in detail the different techniques to use to delete a text message efficiently and thus avoid embarrassing situations.
So, don't panic and read this article carefully to find out how to delete an SMS sent by mistake and avoid finding yourself in an awkward situation.
Beware of applications that offer to delete an SMS!
If you're worried about not being able to delete a text message after sending it, you may have looked for solutions on the app side. Indeed, some offer message deletion functionalities.
However, this functionality is often quite vague. In general, for deletion to be possible, the two people must communicate via an application that offers this functionality, as is the case with thePrivates app on iPhone. This next-generation secure messaging app protects your private messages end-to-end, even after they've been read. It also allows you to delete any sent message with the touch of a button!
However, we are not at all in the case of an application that will allow you to delete an SMS after sending. It's simply a communication application that effectively allows you to delete your messages.
But in your case, if the message is already sent, it's a waste of time for you! In addition, for this to work, even in the future, all your contacts must agree to download this software and use it. It's not really practical.
Cancel SMS on iPhone
To delete a text message on iPhone without the person receiving it, you just need to long press on it before it is sent. You will then have several options available. One of them is simply to cancel the send. Click on it and your message will therefore not be transmitted.
However, even if it is transmitted, it is still possible to delete it, but this requires several elements. The first is that you sent it to someone who also has an iPhone.
Indeed, it is only possible to delete an SMS with the iMessage application. In addition, you need to have the iOS 16 update on your phone and the person in front too. So it's quite restrictive.
However, if this is the case for both of you, then by holding down your message, you will be able to delete the SMS up to two minutes after you sent it, which is quite practical
Cut the network to delete an SMS
You don't meet all the conditions just mentioned? Here is a technique that works on all mobiles. The idea is to quickly switch to airplane mode before your message is sent.
There, you will just have to wait for an error message. Your cell phone will tell you that it is impossible to send the message, which makes sense given the airplane mode. You can then simply delete it.
This technique has the advantage of being the most effective and above all working regardless of the laptop you use or the communication software. But as we said before, it requires you to be quick.
In fact, today unless you live in an area with very poor coverage, SMS messages are sent in just a few seconds. So practice in advance to avoid finding yourself unprepared when you need it.
How to delete a message on WhatsApp?
Finally, be aware that if you use WhatsApp, it is much easier to delete a SMS sent via this service. Indeed, you can do it as you wish, before the person reads it if you are the administrator of a group for example.
Here are the steps to delete a sent message on WhatsApp:
- Open WhatsApp on your phone.
- Go to the conversation where the message you want to delete is located.
- Tap and hold the message you want to delete. Several options will appear.
- Click on " Remove in the options.
- Then, to delete the message for everyone, select “ Delete for everyone"
- Confirm your choice by pressing “Delete” or “Ok”.
If the content of the message then appears erased, be aware that a trace will remain. Indeed, you will see that a message has been deleted. However, as we can say, it is still better than nothing.
There you go, you now know the best techniques for deleting an SMS that you have just sent. As we have just seen, unfortunately there is no ideal solution. The only one that seems to be good is the one with the iPhone, but it remains quite restrictive, but above all situational! In addition, it is almost impossible to delete an SMS once it has been sent for several minutes. And if you want to know how to cancel a sent email, watch this article: How to cancel an email sent to Gmail?
