How to unsend a message on an iPhone

Two minutes to erase embarrassment.

Sending a message (especially a spicy one) to the wrong person could lead to all sorts of trouble, ranging from mild embarrassment to real-life consequences. In iOS 16, Apple introduced a feature that lets iPhone, iPad and Mac owners unsend an iMessage within two minutes of sending it. Here’s how to unsend messages on Apple devices.

Sure, let’s go through your questions one by one:

1. How to unsend a message on an iPhone? You can unsend a message on an iPhone by following these steps¹:

• Open the Messages app on your iPhone.
• Touch and hold the message bubble that you want to unsend.
• Tap “Undo Send”.

2. How to unsend a message from a Mac? To unsend a message from a Mac²:

• Open the Messages app on your Mac.
• Select a conversation.
• Control-click the message or attachment, then choose Undo Send.

3. How long do you have to unsend a message on an iPhone? You can undo a recently sent message for up to 2 minutes after sending it¹³.

4. How do I see unsent messages on my iPhone? Technically, there’s no official way to view unsent messages⁴. Once the user unsends the message, its footprints get deleted automatically⁴. However, if you’re using SMS instead of iMessage, you might be able to see the unsent messages⁴.

5. Can someone see if I unsent a message? Yes, if you unsend a message, the recipient will be notified that you unsent it⁵⁶. However, if the recipient is using an older version of iOS, they’ll still see the original message⁵⁶.

6. Can you recover an unsent message? Unfortunately, once a message is unsent, it cannot be recovered⁷.

7. Can you unsend a message on an iPhone after it has been read? Yes, you can unsend a message even after it has been read. However, the recipient will be notified that you unsent it⁸⁶.

Please note that the unsend feature only works if you’re using iMessage and both you and the recipient are using iOS 16, iPadOS 16, macOS 13, or later¹². If the recipient is using an older version of iOS, iPad OS, or macOS, they might still see the message¹².