To unsend a message on an iPhone, you need to be running iOS 16 or later, as this feature was introduced with that update. Here are the key points and steps:
- You can only unsend iMessages (messages sent between Apple devices), not regular SMS or messages sent to Android phones.
- You have a limited time window to unsend a message: typically up to 2 minutes after sending it.
- Both you and the recipient must be using iOS 16 or later for the unsend to work on both devices.
- When you unsend a message, it will be deleted from your device and the recipient's device, and a notification will appear in the conversation indicating that a message was removed.
How to unsend a message on iPhone:
- Open the Messages app and go to the conversation containing the message you want to unsend.
- Tap and hold the message bubble you want to unsend.
- From the menu that appears, tap Undo Send.
- The message will disappear, and both you and the recipient will see a note saying the message was deleted.
Note that the recipient will see a banner indicating you unsent a message, so they will know a message was removed
. If you miss the unsend window, you cannot retract the message, but you can send a follow-up message to clarify or correct it. This feature is not available on iOS versions earlier than 16, and it only applies to iMessages, not SMS or MMS
