When You Delete An iMessage, Does It Unsend?

In the digital world of the Fifth Industrial Revolution, the demand for communication among people, both verbal and written, is increasing rapidly. So, sending texts via various apps is one of the most popular ways for many people to communicate in modern life. No one can deny that texting is a very fast and convenient way to deliver a message from one person to another without worrying about privacy. However, everything has two sides. If you sent an inappropriate message to your friend and you want to recall it, in almost all cases, it’s impossible! Sometimes you will feel embarrassed when sending messages accidentally.

For iPhone users, they might use a built-in app named iMessage to send and receive texts, photos, and even videos. There is a question asked by many iFans: "When you delete an iMessage, does it unsend?" Imagine that you sent a message to your friend but changed your mind for some reason. Then you need to recall your message. So, is it possible to recall an iMessage? Here, we will help you answer this question.

Does deleting an iMessage unsend it?

Basically, the answer is No. However, for the iPhone running iOS 16 and later, it’s impossible to recall an iMessage.

How to unsend an iMessage?

There are two main ways to recall an iMessage.

Method 1: Turn on the Airplane Mode

Normally, sending an iMessage takes a couple of seconds. In other words, when you write your text and tap the blue arrow to send, the message takes a short time to be delivered. So, you can delete and prevent your text from sending by turning on Airplane Mode immediately.

Swipe down from the screen's top to open the Control Center, then tap "Airplane Mode" to put your device in Airplane mode.

Your iMessage will fail to send, and you will see a "Not Delivered" error. Once this error appears, the text won’t be sent until you resend it manually.

Note that in some cases, this method is not effective because your iMessage was already sent and your action was not quick enough.

Method 2: Install iOS 16 or later

Make sure your iPhone is using iOS 16 or later. You can undo a recently sent message for up to two minutes after sending it. To delete a previously sent message, touch and hold the message bubble, then tap Undo Send. You and the recipient will both see a note in your respective conversation thread verifying that the message was not sent.

If the other party is using iOS 15.6 or earlier, iPadOS 15.6 or earlier, macOS 12 or earlier, or SMS, the original message will be preserved in the thread of communication. You will be warned that the receiver may be able to view the original message in the message transcript even after you have unsent it.

Note that you can only delete an iMessage within two minutes from the time you send it.

FAQs

Does deleting an iMessage stop it from being sent?

If you try to send a message while your phone is in Airplane mode and it fails, a "Not Delivered" error will appear underneath the actual message. The message can be safely deleted before it is sent by touching and holding on it, then tapping the "More" option, and finally tapping the "Delete Message” button.

How to edit an iMessage?

You can edit your text on the iMessage thread by following these steps:

Step 1: Open iMessage.

Step 2: Press and hold the iMessage you desire to edit.

Step 3: A Quick Actions menu will appear; tap "Edit".

Step 4: Change your message. Hit the blue check mark once you’ve done so.

Note that you can edit a message up to five times. You can only edit your message within 15 minutes from the time you sent it.

Why do my iMessages keep failing to send?

If you are having trouble sending texts on your iMessages, it could be that something is wrong with your iPhone, your recipient, or the mobile service provider. It depends on the situation to have suitable fixes. You can try some basic methods to fix this problem, such as: Restarting your iPhone, installing the latest iOS version, or clearing your Message cache. If the problem is not on your side, it may be on the recipient’s. In case they block you, your iMessage will keep saying "Not Delivered".

Conclusion

Preventing an iMessage from being sent is not an easy business. If you have used an iPhone for a long time, you might sometimes send inappropriate messages to someone. Don’t worry! With iOS 16, Apple offers you a method to avoid such regrettable situations. Otherwise, you can recall your iMessage by turning on Airplane Mode. However,this method does not always work.

Hopefully, with the information given above, you will find the answer to the aforementioned question: When you delete an iMessage, doesn’t it send?

Read more: Why does my iMessage keep turning off?