Soon You’ll Be Able to Delete Sent Messages in Google Messages
Soon You’ll Be Able to Delete Sent Messages in Google Messages.
In June, the GSMA Association, which oversees RCS, announced the completion of the latest standard. This update introduces some exciting new features, including the long-awaited option to delete messages after they have been sent. As expected, Google Messages is getting ready to implement this functionality.
Universal Profile 2.7 allows users to “Edit, Recall, and Delete messages they have previously sent, both for themselves and the recipient.” Currently, when a message is deleted in most applications, it only disappears from the sender’s device and not from the recipient’s. This update aims to change that.
9to5 Google has analyzed the latest version of the Google Messages app that was recently uploaded to the Play Store. By examining the code, they discovered several strings that indicate this new feature is in development for Messages. While it’s possible that Google may not ultimately release this feature, the clarity of these code strings suggests that it is likely to happen in the future.
In this Beta version 20250131_02_RC00 of Google Messages, there are several strings related to the new deletion feature. Some of the options include “Delete for me” and “Delete for everyone.” For this to work, all users must have the latest version of Google Messages, as messages may still be visible to those using older versions.
When a message is deleted, all participants in the conversation will see notifications like “You deleted a message,” “Message deleted by its author,” or, for users with older app versions, “Sender attempted to delete a message.”
Universal Profile 2.7 also introduces support for “Replies and Reactions (including Custom Reactions)” to messages. This means that messaging apps on both Android and iOS won’t need to convert reactions manually. We can also expect inline/threaded replies from Android users to iOS users that include the referenced message. Other features include the ability to quickly undo sending a message and native editing support across different platforms.
Although these features are still being developed, it’s uncertain when they will be available to the public. Once they are released, these new functionalities will help improve messaging between different platforms. I’ve noticed an increase in RCS features in my text exchanges with iPhone users, and the introduction of message deletion, custom reactions, and threaded replies will make the transition even smoother.
