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How to unsend an iMessage

Need to know how to unsend an iMessage quickly? We’ll help you stop those pesky typos or unfunny memes on your iPhone in a few short steps.

How to unsend an iMessage: An image of an iPhone screen with iMessage on the display.

Don’t worry, if you’re quickly scrambling to learn how to unsend an iMessage, we’re here to help. It’s okay, we’ve sent iMessages to the wrong person accidentally, but in the past, we’d just have to endure the embarrassment. Thankfully, the gods at Apple listened to your pleas and implemented this handy feature in iOS 16. So, stick around, and we’ll make sure you never cringe at your own iMessages again.

Before you keep on scrolling, though, we’ve got plenty of other guides you may need to utilize. Alternative message apps can be useful, so be sure to check out Microsoft Teams, what is Discord, WhatsApp download, and what is Slack guides in case you need another way to communicate with your friends and family.

How do I unsend an iMessage?

Unsending an iMessage isn’t as difficult as you may think, and it can be done on any iPhone or iPad, as long as you have iOS 16 or later installed. We’re now up to iOS 18, with the hot-off-the-presses iPhone 16 refreshing Apple’s smartphone design.

If you need to unsend an iMessage on your iPhone or iPad, here’s how to do it in a few easy steps:

  • Open the ‘messages’ app on your iPhone or iPad
  • Tap the conversation with the message you want to unsend
  • Tap and hold down on the message
  • Tap ‘undo send’
  • Your message will now be deleted from your conversation

How to unsend an iMessage: An image of an iMessage being unsent in a conversation.

What is the time limit to unsend an iMessage?

While the feature is really handy, it’s worth noting that you only have two minutes to unsend an iMessage before your window to do it expires. If you try to delete an iMessage after two minutes have passed, it won’t be possible to remove it from your conversation. Make sure you act quickly once you’ve accidentally sent an iMessage.

Can someone see an unsent iMessage on an iPhone?

When you unsend an iMessage, the other person will be notified that the last message was deleted, but they won’t be able to see what it said beforehand. However, if the message has already been read by the recipient, it won’t be able to be deleted.

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And there you have it, you’re ready to unsend an iMessage in the future. If you need more help with all things iPhone or smartphones in the future, dive into guides for the best iPhone games, everything you need to know about the latest iPhone update, how to cancel subscriptions on iPhone, or how to delete contacts on iPhone – we’ve all done it.