How to get back iMessages you’ve already sent so your recipients never see them

You can quickly fix a mistake in an iMessage you send, but the recipient will still see whatever you originally wrote because there is a revision history. If you don’t want the other person in the conversation to know what you originally sent, you can do something better.

Apple introduced many new iMessage features for iPhone in iOS 16, and most of them also apply to iPadOS 16 and macOS 13 Ventura. One of them is the editing tool mentioned above, which allows you to edit a message up to five times within 15 minutes of sending it. Again, there is an edit history that everyone in the conversation can see, so it’s not ideal if the error you’re entering is so embarrassing that no one will see it.

The solution to this problem is the new “Undo Send”tool in the Messages app, which allows you to retract any message you’ve sent via iMessage so that it’s unlikely for other thread participants to see it. There is no history of unsent messages, which defeats the purpose of this feature. Think of it as an editing tool with no editing history; only the allotted time you need to pick up the message is much less.

Restrictions on Undo Send

There are four significant restrictions on unsending iMessages. First, you can only delete a message within two minutes of sending it. Second, the recipient will also see that you canceled their submission on the branch timeline. Third, you can only unsend messages for iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, or macOS 13 Ventura users.

If you try to unsend a message and the other person is using iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, or macOS 12 Monterey, the original message you sent will remain and they won’t see any sign that you tried to return it. When you unsend the message, your device will even display this message:

You have sent a message. [Contact name] may still see the message on devices where the software has not been updated.

Fourth, there is always a chance that the recipient will see the original message before you pick it up. If you both have read receipts turned on, you should be able to tell. If not, there is no guarantee that they haven’t hidden the message spike in the notification or somewhere else.

How to use iMessage unsend feature

While it’s easiest to unsend an iMessage from the device you sent it from, you can use the Unsend feature on a different operating system. For example, if you’re sending a message on your Mac and want to unsend it after you turn off your computer, you can still unsend the message from your iPhone or iPad as long as it’s within the two-minute allotted time.

Cancel sending iMessages on iPhone or iPad

After sending an iMessage to someone or a group using updated software, you have up to two minutes to erase it for everyone in the thread. To do this, long-press a message in a thread until quick actions appear, then tap Undo Send. The message will disappear, replacing it with small print: “You didn’t send a message.”The recipient will see “[your name] didn’t send a message.”

Cancel sending iMessages on Mac

After sending an iMessage to someone or a group using updated software, you have up to two minutes to erase it for everyone in the thread. To do this, right-click (or Control-click) a message in the thread to display the context menu, then choose Undo Send. The message will disappear, replacing it with small print: “You didn’t send a message.”The recipient will see “[your name] didn’t send a message.”