Can You Unsend a Text? How To Edit Sent Text Messages | Burner

Can You Unsend a Text? How To Edit Sent Text Messages

Written By:

Burner Team

Reviewed By:

Joshua Sosin

There are quite a few reasons you might want to unsend messages. Maybe you sent a message to the wrong person, made a typo, or more. The good news is that it’s now possible to edit text messages or unsend them entirely. The bad news is that it’s not available for all phones.

Let’s discuss the unsend feature and if you will be able to use it.

What Are the Requirements To Edit and Unsend Text Messages?

You essentially have two choices whenever you purchase a cell phone: Apple or Android. For iPhone users, it’s helpful to know that iOS 16 was officially launched on September 22, 2022. The latest generation came with an enhanced user experience centered around personalization features, deeper intelligence, and enhanced communication.

Perhaps the single most important improvement is that iOS 16 has given Apple users the ability to edit and unsend text messages via the “iMessages” app. Here is a list of all the iPhones that currently support iOS 16:

If you have one of the phones listed above, then here is how you can make sure that you’re using iOS 16:

  1. Open the “Settings” app of your iPhone.
  2. Tap the “General” option.
  3. Select the “Software Update” option.
  4. If the iOS 16 update is available, then click the “Download and Install” option to start the process.

What Are iMessages?

If you’re a long-time iPhone user, then you’re probably familiar with the concept of iMessages. This app is only available on Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Traditional SMS text messages are color-coded green, while iMessages are color-coded blue.

For the most part, the two messages function in the same way. However, there are a few key differences:

It’s safe to say that iMessage has been superior to SMS text since its inception.

How Do You Edit an iMessage?

As long as you have iOS 16 installed, you'll have the ability to edit your iMessages. Here is how you can edit an iMessage:

  1. In the “iMessage” app, select the conversation with the message that you want to edit.
  2. Tap and hold the message bubble.
  3. Click on the “Edit” option that appears on the pop-up menu.
  4. Make any changes to the original text that you want. Tap the “Blue Check Mark” icon to resend it.
  5. Both you and the recipient of the edited iMessage will see a blue-colored notification of “Edited” underneath the text.

How Do You Unsend iMessages?

Here is how you can unsend an iMessage:

  1. In the “iMessage” app, select the conversation with the message that you want to unsend.
  2. Tap and hold the message bubble.
  3. Click on the “Undo Send” option that appears on the pop-up menu.
  4. Both you and the recipient of the unsent iMessage will see a notification stating that “you unsent a message.”

How Can You Edit or Unsend Texts With Android Phones?

As of this writing, Android users can’t currently edit or unsend text messages. However, there are a few apps that do provide this feature. Here is how you can unsend a message if you’re using:

WhatsApp

  1. Open the conversation with the message that you want to unsend.
  2. Long press the message until a pop-up menu appears.
  3. Select the “Delete” option.
  4. Click the “Delete For Everyone” option to permanently remove the message.

Instagram

  1. Open the conversation with the message that you want to unsend.
  2. Long press the message until a pop-up menu appears.
  3. Select the “Unsend” option.
  4. Click “Unsend” a second time to permanently remove the message.

Facebook Messenger

  1. Open the conversation with the message that you want to unsend.
  2. Long press the message until a pop-up menu appears.
  3. Select the “Unsend” option.
  4. Click “Unsend For Everyone” to permanently remove the message.

Summary

Texting is one of the most popular forms of communication today and shows no signs of going away. Currently, the ability to edit and unsend text messages is only possible if you have an Apple device that uses iOS 16. In that case, you’ll have two minutes to unsend the text or 15 minutes to edit it.