Delete an undelivered message on WhatsApp

Kaustubh Katdare · 2014-04-24T03:13:40+00:00

I was wondering if it's possible to delete an undelivered message on WhatsApp. Technically - if your message is being stored on a server before it's delivered to the recipient, you should be able to delete it if not delivered. I'm curious to know why does WhatsApp not provide this facility to its users. I'm sure it'd save a ton of people from embarrassment. As I read about it; the entire delivery of WhatsApp messages is based on the 'Store & Forward' principle. It happens at your end (the sender) if your mobile operating system supports it. Then the process repeats on the WhatsApp servers as well. There has to be a mechanism to stop the message forwarding process, especially at the server side. Typically push notifications are delivered first and the actual message is delivered only when the recipient loads the app. Why not provide the ability to delete the message before it's delivered? What are the technical challenges in implementing this?

Delete an undelivered message on WhatsApp

Kaustubh Katdare

Administrator

Updated: Oct 27, 2024

Views: 3.9K

I was wondering if it's possible to delete an undelivered message on WhatsApp. Technically - if your message is being stored on a server before it's delivered to the recipient, you should be able to delete it if not delivered. I'm curious to know why does WhatsApp not provide this facility to its users. I'm sure it'd save a ton of people from embarrassment. As I read about it; the entire delivery of WhatsApp messages is based on the 'Store & Forward' principle. It happens at your end (the sender) if your mobile operating system supports it. Then the process repeats on the WhatsApp servers as well.

There has to be a mechanism to stop the message forwarding process, especially at the server side. Typically push notifications are delivered first and the actual message is delivered only when the recipient loads the app. Why not provide the ability to delete the message before it's delivered?

What are the technical challenges in implementing this?

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Sanyam Khurana

Member • Apr 24, 2014

Kaustubh Katdare
I was wondering if it's possible to delete an undelivered message on WhatsApp.
I'm not sure about this, let's try it !

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Ankita Katdare

Administrator • Apr 24, 2014
There are certain SMS apps available on Android phones that give you a 5 sec counter after you have pressed 'sent' on a message.
So, if you are having second thoughts on sending that message or want to edit a part of the SMS or text message, you can stop the 5 sec counter and do that. The message will be delivered only after the 5 sec counter finishes ticking.

I tried this using the popular GoSMSPro app on Android.

For whatsapp, however, at first I thought - if your data connection is slow/unavailable, you can cancel the message by deleting it before the tick appears.
But that isn't true either.

Here's something that people have come up with, but I haven't tried it. Can someone try this and confirm?
1. At single tick status, the message was delivered but not yet delivered to receiver, block the receiver.
2. Keep him blocked till he opens WhatsApp. Of course you don't know when he will open WhatsApp. So don't unblock immediately.
3. If he opens WhatsApp while blocked by you then your message will never will be sent to him even if you unblock him later.
👀 I wonder if is it so important to go to these length just to "unsend" the message.. 😨
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Ankita Katdare

Administrator • Nov 16, 2014

So someone just asked me on Twitter to answer "how to stop whatsapp messages from being delivered". Has anyone found out any way of achieving this? 😁 any kind of experiments are welcome.

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Kaustubh Katdare

Administrator • Nov 16, 2014

Whatsapp does not support this feature. I think after <a href="https://www.crazyengineers.com/threads/blackberry-messenger-bbm-now-allows-self-destructing-messages.77199">Blackberry Messenger (BBM) Now Allows Self Destructing Messages</a> (and messages with timer), WhatsApp will follow the suite and introduce those features in near future. I however like the way the app is as of now.

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Saandeep Sreerambatla

Member • Nov 16, 2014

Why so much fuss over whatsapp? I think people are MIS using it similar to facebook! hmm..

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Charles Guarinus

Member • Nov 26, 2014

I was going to attempt to test Ankita's work-around by blocking a user and waiting for them to log back in before unblocking, but don't have another phone handy to test it. I was wondering if anyone can confirm that that is a valid work-around, as I am seeing it on a number of other forums, but no place is confirming it.

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Ankita Katdare

Administrator • Jan 8, 2015

I guess with the introduction of Blue Ticks feature on WhatsApp, this need is getting only more escalated.
I think the best solution available right now is to switch to an app that let's you do that. For example, we recently covered the Strings App. Check -
<a href="https://www.crazyengineers.com/threads/strings-app-features-what-whatsapp-doesnt-ability-to-take-back-a-sent-message.78020">Strings App Features What WhatsApp Doesn't - Ability To Take Back A Sent Message</a>
And there are other apps that help you do the same thing. Why isn't WhatsApp paying attention?

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Ankita Katdare

Administrator • Jan 11, 2015

Alright someone has sent me a PM asking how to delete whatsapp message with one tick. Well the answer is, You Can't.

Your only chance to cancel the delivery of a sent message is when it still has a clock sign on the bubble, meaning it hasn't reached the WhatsApp server yet.
In most cases, however, WhatsApp message travels at a very fast speed. There will not be enough time for you to realize and react.
As soon as the message leaves your smartphone and reaches WhatsApp server, the clock icon will change into single tick sign.
And once the clock icon is gone and single tick has appeared, there is no way to hold your message back.

PS: I think it's best to use text messaging as less often as possible and whenever you use it - think before you act. Don't type random messages and click send. Think Before You Act. Not every thought that pops up in your mind needs to reach the other person INSTANTLY. Let's not abuse connectivity, shall we?

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Amey bandekar

Member • Mar 23, 2015

Kaustubh Katdare
I was wondering if it's possible to delete an undelivered message on WhatsApp. Technically - if your message is being stored on a server before it's delivered to the recipient, you should be able to delete it if not delivered. I'm curious to know why does WhatsApp not provide this facility to its users. I'm sure it'd save a ton of people from embarrassment. As I read about it; the entire delivery of WhatsApp messages is based on the 'Store & Forward' principle. It happens at your end (the sender) if your mobile operating system supports it. Then the process repeats on the WhatsApp servers as well.

There has to be a mechanism to stop the message forwarding process, especially at the server side. Typically push notifications are delivered first and the actual message is delivered only when the recipient loads the app. Why not provide the ability to delete the message before it's delivered?

What are the technical challenges in implementing this?
Yes it is possible to delete a sent msg .first unblock the person to whom u snt the msg and dan unblock him/her aftr she has been online.as u dont know when she or he will b online, u unblock dat prson aftr sum days.

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Ankita Katdare

Administrator • Mar 23, 2015

#-Link-Snipped-# Do you mean first block and then unblock him? Have you tried that trick? Also can we block only when there's a single tick?

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Jatin Kumar

Member • Mar 23, 2015

Amey bandekar
Yes it is possible to delete a sent msg .first 👀block the person to whom u snt the msg and dan unblock him/her aftr she has been online.as u dont know when she or he will b online, u unblock dat prson aftr sum days.
didn't worked for me

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Amey bandekar

Member • Mar 23, 2015

aslijatinasija
didn't worked for me
Even I tried. It works only some times.

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Abbey12

Member • Mar 24, 2015

Kaustubh Katdare
I was wondering if it's possible to delete an undelivered message on WhatsApp. Technically - if your message is being stored on a server before it's delivered to the recipient, you should be able to delete it if not delivered. I'm curious to know why does WhatsApp not provide this facility to its users. I'm sure it'd save a ton of people from embarrassment. As I read about it; the entire delivery of WhatsApp messages is based on the 'Store & Forward' principle. It happens at your end (the sender) if your mobile operating system supports it. Then the process repeats on the WhatsApp servers as well.

There has to be a mechanism to stop the message forwarding process, especially at the server side. Typically push notifications are delivered first and the actual message is delivered only when the recipient loads the app. Why not provide the ability to delete the message before it's delivered?

What are the technical challenges in implementing this?
I think that i've done something like that in the past, but failed until later when I had to first block my supposed recipient from receiving the message.

also, you can switch off your device if the message has not been delivered before noting the whatever error that occurs.

OR is there any third-party app for performing this action?

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Abbey12

Member • Mar 24, 2015

aslijatinasija
didn't worked for m

aslijatinasija
didn't worked for me
It does work. you can try again

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Aarish Gilani

Member • Jun 29, 2015

What if we delete or deactivate our what's app account until the recipient rechecks his what's so. Will it prevent the single tick messages from being delivered?

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Zappabain

Member • Oct 5, 2015

It seems whatsapp stores the messges for 30 days.
So if something works (and I think it's quite logical) it has to be#-Link-Snipped-#'s strategy but waiting more than 30 days to be sure the server has removed the message.

1. Block the conversation.

2. Wait more than 30 days.

Quite "expensive" and easy to spot something happens with you if you talk regularly with that person.

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Kaustubh Katdare

Administrator • Oct 5, 2015

Aarish Gilani
What if we delete or deactivate our what's app account until the recipient rechecks his what's so. Will it prevent the single tick messages from being delivered?
Deleting your account or uninstalling the app from your phone will have no effect on the message that has left your phone. Usually, any message arrives on WhatsApp servers within milliseconds; based on your connection speed, status or quality. The message will still get delivered to the intended recipient and unfortunately you can't do anything about it.

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Ankita Katdare

Administrator • Nov 30, 2015

Deleting your account or uninstalling the app from your phone will have no effect on the message that has left your phone.
True. In fact, deleting your account or removing the app from your phone won't even affect your name from displaying on other people's lists. It just stays with your last checked status. I can only hope that WhatsApp does something about the accidentally sent messages. There could be an option to delete it, especially when the other person is not online and hasn't read it (Single Tick).

I guess:
"Words once spoken, like an arrow from a bow, can not be taken back."
^ has to be your mantra while using WhatsApp. Use it wisely. Do not send messages in a hurry.

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brianstm

Member • Feb 2, 2016

Now, is any option available?

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shyam sngh

Member • Jul 24, 2016

Hi #-Link-Snipped-# ji
I have sent a message to my friend by mistake. which I do not want to send.
The message is on single tick yet. I have blocked my friend before double tick(delver the message on his phone) as you described before. but the message is on whats app server. Please tell me, that now it will deliver on my friend's phone or it will hold on the server. even when I have unblock him. or it will deliver on his phone as well as he comes online.
-----------------
The Blocking technique is not working to stop the messages which are now only on server(not delivered) these messages are delivered while the person on his mobile's internet.
But the second thing is that, we could not recognize that the messages is delivered to the person. Because we could not seen the double tick on our mobile while we unblock that person's contact.
(means we think that our message is not delivered to the person, but the truth is that, our message is delivered but we could not seen the double tick on our mobile, even if we unblock the person)

please tell me
thanks

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shyam sngh

Member • Jul 24, 2016

I have the blocking trick but it is not working. The message is delivered. but the one thing is that i could not seen he delivery report on my mobile, It remain single tick in my mobile, even while i have received the reply about that message.

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