We’ve all been there before. You sent an iMessage to the wrong person, or you accidentally hit “send” when you didn’t mean to. What can you do in this situation? Can you unsend an iMessage?
The answer depends on whether the iMessage has been delivered or not. This article will explore what you can do in both scenarios.
How to Unsend an iMessage on iOS 16?
Apple has recently released iOS 16 and added the feature to unsend or modify iMessage, which was not available in the previous iOS versions.
Remember you have 15 minutes to unsend or modify the message once you have hit send.
To unsend an iMessage,
- Open the conversation and long-press the message you want to unsend.
- A list of options will pop up. Select “undo send” from that menu.
- Your message will be unsent if done within 15 minutes after sending the message.
How to Unsend an iMessage on iOS 15?
iOS 15 doesn’t have the default feature to unsend an iMessage, but you can still do it by following the methods below.
Can You Unsend iMessage Before it’s Delivered?
Yes, if you realize that you sent an iMessage to the wrong person before it’s been delivered, you can go into your Messages app and delete the entire conversation.
This will stop the message from being delivered to the other person.
1. Unsend iMessage Using Airplane Mode
If you’re quick enough, you can try putting your phone into airplane mode before the message is delivered.
This will stop the message from being sent through and should prevent it from being delivered.
To do this, swipe up your control panel and find the airplane icon, then turn it on, or you can also go to your Settings app and turn on Airplane Mode.
Once it’s been turned on, open up the Messages app and delete the conversation.
Once you’re finished, go back to your Settings app and turn off Airplane Mode. This should stop the message from being delivered.
2. Unsend iMessage by Turning Off Your Wi-Fi or Mobile Data
Another method you can try is turning off your wifi or mobile data. This will prevent the message from being sent through and should stop it from being delivered.
To do this, simply go to your Settings app and turn off either your wifi or mobile data (or both). Once it’s been turned off, open up the Messages app and delete the conversation.
Once you’re finished, go back to your Settings app and turn on either your wifi or mobile data (or both). This should stop the message from being delivered.
When You Delete an iMessage, Does it Delete for the Other Person?
No. It will get deleted from your devices only. If the message has been delivered, there is no way to delete iMessage for both devices unless you are on iOS 16 or above.
Otherwise it will still show as a delivered message on the other person’s device.
So, if you want to unsend the message, you must delete it before the message is delivered.
Can You Unsend an iMessage on iOS 14/15
Yes, you can unsend an iMessage on iOS 14/15/16, but only if the message is not delivered yet. To unsend quickly, activate airplane mode before the message is delivered.
If the message has been delivered, then there is no way to unsent that message.
Can You Unsend a Text Message?
No, once a text message is sent, it cannot be unsent. The person who received the message will be able to see it.
You can delete the message from your phone, but the other person will still be able to see it. So, there is no way to unsend a text message.
Conclusion
So, can you unsend an iMessage? The answer is yes and no. If you realize that you’ve sent a message to the wrong person before it’s been delivered, you can delete the conversation and stop the message from being delivered.
However, once a message has been delivered, you can’t unsend it. If you’re quick enough, you can try putting your phone into airplane mode before the message is delivered.
This will stop the message from being sent through and should prevent it from being delivered. Thanks for reading! We hope this article was helpful.