Skip to main content

How to delete Snapchat messages

companies advertise on snapchat for super bowl 50 how to use
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’ve ever sent a message to someone and wish you could delete it, Snapchat has a feature you’ll like. Yes, it lets you delete Snapchat messages you’ve already sent. Don’t get too excited though, as there are some limitations that can make its usefulness iffy at best. Here’s what you need to know.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

5 minutes

What You Need

  • Smartphone with Snapchat app

How to delete Snapchat messages

Deleting Snapchat messages, like replaying Snaps, is literally a snap.

Step 1: Hold your finger down on the offending message. Then, a menu like the one below will pop up.

Step 2: Tap Delete and then Delete Chat and you are done with your part. This works with one-on-one chats and group chats, too.

how to delete snapchat messages
Image used with permission by copyright holder
snapchat offline data ads mem 2v2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

What happens next

Once your chat message is deleted on your end, that’s not the end of things. Snapchat says that it will try to delete the message from its servers and from your friend’s chat screen, but it doesn’t always work. For example, if your friend has poor internet service when you delete the message, Snapchat may not be able to delete the message from your friend’s side of the conversation until they have better service. This means they may see the message. If they have an older version of Snapchat, your message may be stuck on their screen as well.

Also, it will be obvious something was deleted. This is because a message posts on your side of the chat when you delete a message. Your friend will also get a message that something was deleted. Being sneaky using Snapchat is really hard.

How to delete all the messages

Want to go further than just one message? You can delete the whole conversation, too — sort of.

Step 1: Go to the Friends screen.

Step 2: Hold your finger down on the message thread you want to delete.

Step 3: A menu will pop up. Choose More and then tap Clear Conversation History.

This will remove the conversation from your Friends screen. It won’t delete sent or saved messages, but it’s a good way to declutter your Friends screen so you can find more important conversations more easily.

Alina Bradford
Alina Bradford has been a tech, lifestyle and science writer for more than 20 years. Her work is read by millions each month…
The best Android tablets in 2024: the 7 best ones you can buy
OnePlus Pad with official Stylo pencil stylus on a wooden table.

Tablets may not be the hot new thing in 2024, but they're still excellent machines for streaming movies, playing games, or getting work done on the go. And while it seems like the best iPads dominate most of the tablet market, there are still plenty of excellent Android tablet options to consider if you don't want to be locked in Apple's walled garden.

Whether you want an ultra-premium and superpowerful option, or something more affordable and compact, the Android tablet market has something for everyone. No matter your budget or spec preferences, here are the best Android tablets you can buy in 2024.

Read more
How to make a collaborative playlist in Spotify
spotify ceo ek teases hifi again ghost 1

Have you ever been on a road trip with friends and wished everyone could contribute to the playlist?

Spotify offers a fantastic feature that allows you to create collaborative playlists that multiple people can edit, add songs to, and rearrange on the go. Say goodbye to the battles over the AUX cord!

Read more
Amazon Kindle vs. Kindle Paperwhite: don’t buy the wrong e-reader
Renders of the Amazon Kindle (2022) and Kindle Paperwhite (2021).

The Amazon Kindle is probably the first name that comes to mind when you think of the best e-readers, but what you may not realize is that the Kindle name represents an entire lineup of devices, from the humble, newly-redesigned Kindle (2024) that defines the brand to the all-new Kindle Colorsoft, Amazon's first-ever all-color e-reader.

While other models like the Kindle Scribe and Kindle Oasis are pricey flagship e-book readers that are each distinctive in their own way, there's also the new Kindle Paperwhite (2024), which is more visually comparable to the entry-level Kindle. It's so similar, in fact, that you may have a hard time deciding which one to go with if you don't look past their surface-level similarities.

Read more