Google Messages is finally
testing a “Delete for everyone” button, giving Android users a 15-minute window to unsend an RCS text that should not have left the phone in the first place. Early reports come from the latest beta version, where a long press on a message now shows two options: “Delete for everyone” or “Delete for me.” When the first choice is used, the chat replaces the text with a small Message deleted label that every participant can see.Right now, the feature appears only in large group conversations. One tester had success in a thread with twelve people, while the option stayed hidden in smaller groups and in one to one chats. This feature was first uncovered back in March, so it’s nice to see it finally rolling out, even if it’s in beta.
It should be noted that the recall depends on RCS Universal Profile 2.7, so every person in the chat needs an up-to-date build of Google Messages, or the delete request quietly fails. Additionally, it looks like Google is currently flipping the switch on its servers for a tiny slice of beta users to make sure the system holds up before opening the gates any wider.
The ‘Delete for everyone’ option appearing on a beta build of Google Messages. | Image credit — r/seeareeff on Reddit
That narrow rollout is not a surprise. Competing apps have offered this safety net for years, and each one draws its own line in the sand. WhatsApp lets you pull a message back for a generous two days. iMessage gives you two minutes to undo and fifteen minutes to edit. Telegram goes further and lets users erase texts at any time without leaving a trace. Seen against that lineup, Google’s 15-minute limit is modest but still patches the biggest gap in its flagship chat app.The timing is rather important, considering Apple plans to also move to the same RCS profile that supports these extra features later this year. At the same time, Google has been busy polishing quality of life tools inside Messages, including reaction effects, AI reply suggestions, and a long overdue edit button that took four months to travel from beta to stable last year. If the company follows the same pace, delete for everyone could reach most phones by the end of 2025.
I believe this is an important move when you take into consideration the timing alongside Apple’s rollout. If Google widens support before the stable release, Android owners will gain the same peace of mind that WhatsApp and iPhone users already enjoy while keeping their conversations tidy.
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Source: Phone Arena
