How to delete a week old WhatsApp message
WhatsApp recently introduced the ‘unsend’ message for its popular messaging app. The long-requested feature was in the testing phase for quite sometime, but now with the latest update everyone can save themselves from embarrassment of sending messages to the wrong person.
But there’s a catch. You can only delete or recall a message within seven minutes. If you plan on deleting a message after seven minutes, then you are out of luck.
But thanks to some people at Android Jefe, we now have a sneaky workaround that enables you to delete messages that are not just more than seven minutes old, but up to seven days old.
To kick off the process, you’ll have to first disable both Wi-Fi and mobile data from the Settings menu. Then navigate to the Apps selection until you find WhasApp and force stop the application. Next, head to the Date and Time setting and set the date same as the day you sent the message you want to delete. Also, you’ll have to turn off the automatic time update on your device.
Reopen the app and find the message. Tap and hold on it and then choose Delete > Delete for Everyone. Switch on your Wi-Fi and mobile data, revert the date and your message should be replaced a message that reads — ‘This message was deleted.’
Although the new hack works as a charm, but there are few limitations to the trick.
Android Jefe found that you’ll be able to delete messages older than a week using this method, but going to far back will prompt the app to force you to select the correct date. Also the trick requires both the sender and the receiver to have the updated version of WhatsApp. While the bug might not there forever, but for the time being it could be a lifesaver.