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<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang='en' > <head> <meta charset="UTF-8" /> <title>Delete a message | Zulip help center</title> <link id="favicon" rel="icon" href="https://static.zulipchat.com/static/images/favicon.svg?v=4" /> <link rel="alternate icon" href="https://static.zulipchat.com/static/images/favicon.png?v=4" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />  <meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" />  <meta property="og:url" content="https://kvrocks.zulipchat.com/help/delete-a-message" /> <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Zulip" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Delete a message | Zulip help center" /> <meta property="og:description" content="Zulip lets you delete the content of your messages or delete messages completely if these actions are allowed in your organization. Only server administrators can restore deleted messages. | Organization administrators can configure who can edit and delete their own messages, and who can delete any message. They can also set time limits on message editing and deletion. | Editing a message to delete its content will cause the message to be displayed as (deleted). The original sender and timestamp of the message will still be displayed, and the original content of the message is still accessible via Zulip's edit history feature. 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href="/help/channel-permissions">Channel permissions</a></li> <li><a href="/help/channel-posting-policy">Channel posting policy</a></li> <li><a href="/help/configure-who-can-administer-a-channel">Configure who can administer a channel</a></li> <li><a href="/help/configure-who-can-create-channels">Restrict channel creation</a></li> <li><a href="/help/configure-who-can-subscribe">Configure who can subscribe</a></li> <li><a href="/help/configure-who-can-invite-to-channels">Configure who can subscribe others</a></li> <li><a href="/help/configure-who-can-unsubscribe-others">Configure who can unsubscribe anyone</a></li> <li><a href="/help/subscribe-users-to-a-channel">Subscribe users to a channel</a></li> <li><a href="/help/unsubscribe-users-from-a-channel">Unsubscribe users from a channel</a></li> <li><a href="/help/set-default-channels-for-new-users">Set default channels for new users</a></li> <li><a href="/help/rename-a-channel">Rename a channel</a></li> <li><a href="/help/change-the-channel-description">Change a channel's description</a></li> <li><a href="/help/pin-information">Pin information</a></li> <li><a href="/help/change-the-privacy-of-a-channel">Change the privacy of a channel</a></li> <li><a href="/help/archive-a-channel">Delete or archive a channel</a></li> </ul> <h2>Permissions management</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/help/manage-permissions">Manage permissions</a></li> <li><a href="/help/manage-user-groups">Manage user groups</a></li> <li><a href="/help/deactivate-a-user-group">Deactivate a user group</a></li> <li><a href="/help/user-roles">User roles</a></li> <li><a href="/help/guest-users">Guest users</a></li> <li><a href="/help/restrict-direct-messages">Restrict direct messages</a></li> <li><a href="/help/restrict-wildcard-mentions">Restrict wildcard mentions</a></li> <li><a href="/help/restrict-message-editing-and-deletion">Restrict message editing</a></li> <li><a href="/help/restrict-message-edit-history-access">Restrict message edit history access</a></li> <li><a href="/help/restrict-moving-messages">Restrict moving messages</a></li> <li><a href="/help/restrict-resolving-topics">Restrict resolving topics</a></li> <li><a href="/help/restrict-name-and-email-changes">Restrict name and email changes</a></li> <li><a href="/help/restrict-profile-picture-changes">Restrict profile picture changes</a></li> <li><a href="/help/restrict-permissions-of-new-members">Restrict permissions of new members</a></li> </ul> <h2>Organization settings</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/help/configure-organization-language">Configure organization language</a></li> <li><a href="/help/custom-emoji">Custom emoji</a></li> <li><a href="/help/configure-call-provider">Configure call provider</a></li> <li><a href="/help/add-a-custom-linkifier">Add a custom linkifier</a></li> <li><a href="/help/require-topics">Require topics in channel messages</a></li> <li><a href="/help/image-video-and-website-previews">Image, video and website previews</a></li> <li><a href="/help/hide-message-content-in-emails">Hide message content in emails</a></li> <li><a href="/help/message-retention-policy">Message retention policy</a></li> <li><a href="/help/digest-emails">Weekly digest emails</a></li> <li><a href="/help/disable-welcome-emails">Disable welcome emails</a></li> <li><a href="/help/configure-automated-notices">Configure automated notices</a></li> <li><a href="/help/configure-multi-language-search">Configure multi-language search</a></li> <li><a href="/help/analytics">Usage statistics</a></li> </ul> <h2>Bots & integrations</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/help/bots-overview">Bots overview</a></li> <li><a href="/help/integrations-overview">Integrations overview</a></li> <li><a href="/help/add-a-bot-or-integration">Add a bot or integration</a></li> <li><a href="/help/generate-integration-url">Generate integration URL</a></li> <li><a href="/help/manage-a-bot">Manage a bot</a></li> <li><a href="/help/deactivate-or-reactivate-a-bot">Deactivate or reactivate a bot</a></li> <li><a href="/help/request-an-integration">Request an integration</a></li> <li><a href="/help/restrict-bot-creation">Restrict bot creation</a></li> <li><a href="/help/view-your-bots">View your bots</a></li> <li><a href="/help/view-all-bots-in-your-organization">View all bots in your organization</a></li> </ul> <h2>Support</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/help/view-zulip-version">View Zulip version</a></li> <li><a href="/help/zulip-cloud-billing">Zulip Cloud billing</a></li> <li><a href="/help/self-hosted-billing">Self-hosted billing</a></li> <li><a href="/help/gdpr-compliance">GDPR compliance</a></li> <li><a href="/help/move-to-zulip-cloud">Move to Zulip Cloud</a></li> <li><a href="/help/support-zulip-project">Support the Zulip project</a></li> <li><a href="/help/linking-to-zulip-website">Linking to the Zulip website</a></li> <li><a href="/help/contact-support">Contact support</a></li> </ul> <h1 class="home-link"><a href="/" class="no-underline">Back to Zulip</a></h1> </div> </div> <svg height="32px" class="hamburger" style="enable-background:new 0 0 32 32;" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 32 32" width="32px" xml:space="preserve" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <path d="M4,10h24c1.104,0,2-0.896,2-2s-0.896-2-2-2H4C2.896,6,2,6.896,2,8S2.896,10,4,10z M28,14H4c-1.104,0-2,0.896-2,2 s0.896,2,2,2h24c1.104,0,2-0.896,2-2S29.104,14,28,14z M28,22H4c-1.104,0-2,0.896-2,2s0.896,2,2,2h24c1.104,0,2-0.896,2-2 S29.104,22,28,22z"></path> </svg> <div class="markdown"> <div class="content" id="main-content"> <h1 id="delete-a-message">Delete a message</h1> <p>Zulip lets you delete the content of your messages or delete messages completely if these actions are allowed in your organization. Only server administrators can restore deleted messages.</p> <p>Organization administrators can <a href="/help/restrict-message-editing-and-deletion">configure</a> who can edit and delete their own messages, and who can delete any message. They can also set time limits on message editing and deletion.</p> <h2 id="delete-message-content">Delete message content</h2> <p>Editing a message to delete its content will cause the message to be displayed as <strong>(deleted)</strong>. The original sender and timestamp of the message will still be displayed, and the original content of the message is still accessible via Zulip's <a href="/help/view-a-messages-edit-history">edit history</a> feature. This can be the best option for avoiding confusion if other users have already responded to your message.</p> <p><div class="tabbed-section has-tabs" markdown="1"> <ul class="nav"> <li data-tab-key="desktop-web" tabindex="0">Desktop/Web</li> <li data-tab-key="mobile" tabindex="0">Mobile</li> </ul> <div class="blocks"> <div class="tab-content" data-tab-key="desktop-web" markdown="1"></p> <ol> <li> <p>Hover over a message to reveal three icons on the right.</p> </li> <li> <p>Click the <strong>pencil</strong> (<i class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-edit"></i>) icon. If you do not see the <strong>pencil</strong> (<i class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-edit"></i>) icon, you do not have permission to delete the content of this message.</p> </li> <li> <p>Delete the content of the message.</p> </li> <li> <p>Click <strong>Save</strong>.</p> </li> </ol> <p></div> <div class="tab-content" data-tab-key="mobile" markdown="1"></p> <ol> <li> <p>Press and hold a message until the long-press menu appears.</p> </li> <li> <p>Tap <strong>Delete message</strong> to delete the content of the message. If you do not see the <strong>Delete message</strong> option, you do not have permission to delete the content of this message.</p> </li> </ol> <p></div> </div> </div></p> <h2 id="delete-a-message-completely">Delete a message completely</h2> <p>In some cases, such as when a message accidentally shares secret information, or contains spam or abuse, it makes sense to delete a message completely. Deleted messages will immediately disappear from the UI in all official Zulip clients.</p> <p>Any uploaded files referenced only by deleted messages will be immediately inaccessible. Note that an uploaded file shared in multiple messages will be deleted only when <em>all</em> of those messages are deleted.</p> <p>It's important to understand that anyone who received the message before you deleted it could have made a copy of its content. Even if no one is online when you send the message, users may have received the message via email or mobile notifications. So if you accidentally shared secret information that you can change, like a password, you may want to change that password regardless of whether you also delete the message.</p> <p><div class="tabbed-section has-tabs" markdown="1"> <ul class="nav"> <li data-tab-key="desktop-web" tabindex="0">Desktop/Web</li> </ul> <div class="blocks"> <div class="tab-content" data-tab-key="desktop-web" markdown="1"></p> <ol> <li> <p>Hover over a message to reveal three icons on the right.</p> </li> <li> <p>Click on the <strong>ellipsis</strong> (<i class="zulip-icon zulip-icon-more-vertical-spread"></i>).</p> </li> <li> <p>Select <strong>Delete message</strong>. If you do not see the <strong>Delete message</strong> option, you do not have permission to delete this message completely.</p> </li> <li> <p>Approve by clicking <strong>Confirm</strong>.</p> </li> </ol> <p></div> </div> </div></p> <div class="admonition tip"> <p>You can delete messages sent by <a href="/help/view-your-bots">bots that you own</a> just like messages you sent yourself.</p> </div> <h2 id="restoring-deleted-messages">Restoring deleted messages</h2> <p>For protection against accidental or immediately regretted deletions, messages deleted directly or via a <a href="/help/message-retention-policy">message retention policy</a> are archived for 30 days in a format that can be restored by a server administrator. After that time, they are permanently and irrecoverably deleted from the Zulip server. Server administrators can adjust the archival time using the <code>ARCHIVED_DATA_VACUUMING_DELAY_DAYS</code> setting.</p> <h2 id="message-notifications">Message notifications</h2> <p>If you delete a message soon after sending it, any <a href="/help/email-notifications#configure-delay-for-message-notification-emails">pending email notifications</a> for that message will be canceled, and <a href="/help/desktop-notifications">visual desktop notifications</a> will be removed, including <a href="/help/dm-mention-alert-notifications">mentions and alerts</a>.</p> <h2 id="related-articles">Related articles</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/help/delete-a-topic">Delete a topic</a></li> <li><a href="/help/archive-a-channel">Archive a channel</a></li> <li><a href="/help/message-retention-policy">Message retention policy</a></li> <li><a href="/help/edit-a-message">Edit a message</a></li> <li><a href="/help/restrict-message-editing-and-deletion">Restrict message editing and deletion</a></li> </ul> <div class="documentation-footer"> <hr /> <p>Your feedback helps us make Zulip better for everyone! Please <a href="/help/contact-support">contact us</a> with questions, suggestions, and feature requests.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div hidden id="page-params" data-params='{"page_type":"default","development_environment":false,"request_language":"en","google_analytics_id":"UA-79921909-3"}'></div> </body> </html>