Text messages are a convenient way to communicate with friends, family, and colleagues. However, sometimes you may want to delete text messages on your iPhone for both sides because you sent a sensitive message to the wrong person. In this article, we will explain how to delete text messages on iPhones for both sides and whether it is possible.
How to Delete Text Messages on iPhone for Your Side
Deleting text messages on your iPhone from your side is easy and straightforward. You can delete a single message or an entire conversation from your iPhone. Here are the steps to follow:

- To delete a single message, open the Messages app and tap on the conversation that contains the message you want to delete. Then, tap and hold on to the message until a menu pops up. Tap on More and select the message by tapping the circle next to it. Then, tap on the trash icon at the bottom left corner and confirm by tapping Delete Message.
- To delete an entire conversation, open the Messages app and swipe left on the conversation you want to delete. Then, tap on the trash icon and confirm by tapping on Delete.
How to Delete Text Messages on iPhone for Both Sides
Deleting text messages on iPhone for both sides is impossible with the default Messages app. Text messages are stored locally on each device, and there is no way to remotely delete them from another device. Therefore, even if you delete a text message from your iPhone, it will remain on the recipient’s iPhone unless they delete it themselves.
However, some exceptions and alternatives may allow you to delete text messages on iPhone for both sides in some cases. Here are some of them:
- If you use iMessage instead of text messages, you may be able to delete iMessages on iPhone for both sides if you act quickly. iMessage is a messaging service that uses the internet instead of the cellular network to send and receive messages between Apple devices. Suppose you have iMessage enabled on your iPhone. In that case, you can try to undo sending an iMessage within 30 minutes by following these steps: Open the conversation and long-press the iMessage you want to delete from both sides. Next, tap on Undo Send and confirm by tapping Undo Send again. Your iMessage will be deleted from both sides if done within 30 minutes of sending it.

- If you use third-party messaging apps instead of text messages, you may be able to delete messages on iPhone for both sides if the app supports this feature. Some popular messaging apps that allow you to delete messages for both sides are WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Viber. To delete messages for both sides using these apps, follow these steps: Open the app and tap on the conversation that contains the message you want to delete. Then, tap and hold on to the message until a menu pops up. Tap on Delete and choose Delete for Everyone or Delete for All, depending on the app. Confirm by tapping on Delete again, then it’s better to reboot your iPhone.
- If you use a tracking app instead of text messages, you may be able to delete messages on your iPhone for both sides if the app allows you to remotely control another device. A tracking app is an app that can be installed on an iPhone and used to monitor and control another device remotely. Some examples of tracking apps are Spyzie, mSpy, and FlexiSPY. To delete messages for both sides using these apps, follow these steps: Install the tracking app on both your iPhone and the recipient’s iPhone following the instructions provided by the app. Then, open the tracking app on your iPhone and access the dashboard showing all the recipient’s iPhone activities. Find the option to delete messages or conversations and select the ones you want to delete. Confirm by tapping on Delete.
How to Secure Your Text Messages on iPhone
If you are concerned about your privacy and security when sending text messages on your iPhone, there are some steps that you can take to secure your text messages and prevent them from being accessed by others. Here are some tips that you can follow:
- Use a passcode or Face ID/Touch ID to lock your iPhone and prevent unauthorized access. To set up a passcode or Face ID/Touch ID, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode and follow the instructions.

- Use encryption to protect your text messages from being intercepted or read by others. Encryption is a process that scrambles your text messages into unreadable code that someone with the key or password can only decrypt. To encrypt your text messages using iMessage, ensure you and the recipient have iMessage enabled on your iPhones. You can tell if a message is encrypted by looking at its color: blue means encrypted, and green means unencrypted.
- Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to hide your IP address and location when sending text messages online. A VPN is a service that creates a secure connection between your device and a server in another location. This way, your online activity is masked and protected from anyone trying to track you online. To use a VPN on iPhone, you need to download a VPN app from the App Store and follow its instructions to set up a connection.
FAQ
You can delete text messages on your iPhone for your side by either deleting a single message or an entire conversation from the Messages app.
You cannot delete text messages on iPhone for both sides with the default Messages app, but you may be able to do so with some exceptions and alternatives such as iMessage, third-party messaging apps, or tracking apps.
Text messages use the cellular network to send and receive messages between devices. iMessage uses the internet to send and receive messages between Apple devices.
You can tell if a message is encrypted by looking at its color in the Messages app. Blue means encrypted, and green means unencrypted.
Some examples of third-party messaging apps that allow deleting messages for both sides are WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Viber.
Some examples of tracking apps that allow deleting messages for both sides are Spyzie, mSpy, and FlexiSPY.
You can set up a passcode or Face ID/Touch ID on your iPhone by going to Settings > Face ID & Passcode or Touch ID & Passcode and following the instructions.
Encryption is a process that scrambles your text messages into unreadable code that someone with the key or password can only decrypt. Encryption uses mathematical algorithms to transform plain text into cipher text and vice versa.
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a service that creates a secure connection between your device and a server in another location. A VPN works by routing your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel that hides your IP address and location from anyone trying to track you online.
You can download a VPN app on your iPhone by going to the App Store and searching for a VPN app of your choice. Then, tap on the Get or Install button and follow the instructions to set up a connection.
Conclusion
In conclusion, deleting text messages on iPhone for both sides is impossible with the default Messages app. Still, it may be possible with some exceptions and alternatives such as iMessage, third-party messaging apps, or tracking apps. However, these methods are not guaranteed or reliable, as they depend on various factors such as time limit, app version, settings, network connection, etc.
Therefore, it is better to secure your text messages on your iPhone using a passcode or Face ID/Touch ID.
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