WhatsApp has, once again, updated its Delete for Everyone feature. The Delete for Everyone feature allows users to delete messages they’ve sent from the recipient’s phone if the recipient hasn’t seen it yet. Originally, we only had 8 minutes and 16 seconds to delete for everyone before WhatsApp changed it to 1 hour 8 minutes and 16 seconds. This latest update adds a whole day to the mix so we can now delete messages from our friend’s phones up to 1 day 1 hour 8 minutes and 16 seconds after we’ve sent them.
This sounds great, but if you dig into the announcement a little more, you’ll see that you still need to be quick. This new update extends the maximum time allowed for a removal request to reach the recipients of your messages. You still only have 1 hour 8 minutes and 16 seconds to delete the message, but that delete request has an extra day to get to the recipient’s phone. If it doesn’t arrive in time, then the message won’t be deleted.
This complicated scenario might play out if a friend’s phone is switched off for that amount of time. If your friend’s battery dies before he has seen your message and before you send hit delete on your phone, the message will stay on his phone if he doesn’t charge his phone up and turn it back on again before the time is up.
As always, it is best only to send messages you want your friends actually to receive them.
