The fastest way to delete messages in bulk
Facebook Messenger lets you delete multiple messages at once, but the method depends on whether you're using the mobile app or the web version. On mobile, you long-press one message, then tap others to select them all before deleting. On the web, you hover over messages and click the checkbox next to each one. Both routes take about the same time — usually under a minute for 10 to 20 messages — but the steps are different enough that you need to know which device you're using.
There is no "select all" button that deletes your entire conversation at once. If you want to remove every message from a chat, you'll delete them in groups or clear the whole conversation instead. We'll cover both options below.
Key Takeaways
- On mobile, long-press a message, then tap others to select multiple messages, then tap the trash icon to delete them all at once.
- On the web, hover over each message and click the checkbox, then click the trash icon that appears at the top.
- Deleting a message removes it only from your view — the other person still sees it unless you unsend it instead.
- If you want to remove an entire conversation, you can delete the chat thread itself rather than deleting messages one group at a time.
- Messages deleted from Messenger cannot be recovered, so double-check your selection before you confirm.
How to delete multiple messages on the Messenger mobile app
Open Messenger and go to the conversation that contains the messages you want to remove. Long-press (press and hold) the first message you want to delete until it highlights and a menu appears. You'll see a trash icon or "Delete" option — don't tap it yet.
While that message is still selected, tap each additional message you want to delete. Each one will show a checkmark as you select it. You can select as many as you want in a single conversation. Once you've tapped all the messages you need, tap the trash icon or "Delete" button. Messenger will ask you to confirm, and the messages will disappear from your chat.
If you make a mistake and select a message you don't want to delete, tap it again to deselect it. The checkmark will disappear and it won't be deleted when you confirm.
How to delete multiple messages on Messenger web
Go to Messenger.com or open Messenger through Facebook.com, then click the conversation you want to edit. Hover your mouse over the first message you want to delete. A checkbox will appear to the left of the message — click it to select that message.
Continue hovering over other messages and clicking their checkboxes. As you select messages, a toolbar will appear at the top of the conversation showing how many you've selected. Once you've checked all the messages you want to remove, click the trash icon in that toolbar. Messenger will ask you to confirm the deletion.
If you select a message by mistake, hover over it again and click the checkbox to uncheck it. You can also click "Deselect All" in the toolbar if you want to start over.
The difference between deleting and unsending a message
When you delete a message, it disappears from your copy of the conversation only. The other person can still see it on their end. This is useful when you want to clean up your own chat history but don't need to hide the message from the other person.
When you unsend a message, it disappears from both your chat and theirs. Unsending is what you want if you sent something by mistake or said something you regret. However, Messenger only lets you unsend messages that are less than 10 minutes old — after that, the unsend option disappears and you can only delete.
To unsend a message, long-press it (on mobile) or hover over it (on web) and look for "Remove" or "Unsend" instead of "Delete". The wording varies depending on your Messenger version, but unsend is always the option that removes it from both sides of the conversation.
How to delete an entire conversation instead of individual messages
If you want to remove dozens of messages and don't want to select them one by one, you can delete the whole conversation. On mobile, long-press the conversation name in your chat list, then tap "Delete" from the menu. On the web, right-click the conversation name and select "Delete Chat".
Deleting a conversation removes all messages in that chat from your Messenger inbox. The other person will still have their copy of the conversation unless they delete it too. If the person messages you again, a new conversation will start and you'll see only the new messages, not the old ones you deleted.
This is faster than selecting hundreds of individual messages, but you lose the entire history. Use this method only if you're sure you won't need to refer back to anything in that chat.
What happens to deleted messages and whether you can recover them
Once you delete a message from Messenger, it's gone from your account permanently. Messenger does not have an "undo" button or a trash folder where deleted messages sit for a few days before being erased. If you delete something by mistake, you cannot recover it through Messenger itself.
If the other person still has the message in their conversation, you could ask them to screenshot it or resend the information, but that's the only way to get it back. This is why it's worth double-checking your selection before you tap the final "Delete" or "Confirm" button.
Facebook's servers keep records of deleted messages for legal and safety reasons, but you cannot access those records yourself. If you need a message for a legal dispute or safety concern, you would need to contact Facebook directly through their support channels, and they would only release that information under specific circumstances.
Deleting messages on Messenger Desktop app
If you use the Messenger app on Windows or Mac (the standalone desktop application, not the web version), the process is similar to mobile. Hover over a message and a trash icon will appear. Click it to delete that single message, or right-click the message to see if a "Delete" option appears in the context menu.
The desktop app does not always support multi-select the way mobile does, so you may need to delete messages one at a time or in small groups. If you're deleting a lot of messages, the web version usually offers faster bulk-delete options. Check your Messenger version — if you're on an older desktop app build, updating it may give you better deletion tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete messages from a group chat?
Yes, the same process works in group conversations. You can delete messages from your view only — other group members will still see them. If you want to remove a message from everyone's view, you need to unsend it instead, but unsending only works within 10 minutes of sending.
Will the other person know I deleted a message?
No, they won't be notified that you deleted a message from your side. However, if they saw the message before you deleted it, they'll still have it in their conversation. Unsending a message is more noticeable because the message will disappear from their chat and show "[Message unsent]" in its place.
Can I delete messages from someone else's account?
No, you can only delete messages from your own Messenger account. You cannot remove messages that other people sent to you from their view — only they can unsend their own messages within the 10-minute window.
What if I want to delete all messages from one person?
Delete the entire conversation with that person. Long-press or right-click their chat in your conversation list and select "Delete Chat". This removes all messages from that conversation from your Messenger inbox, though the other person will still have their copy.
Does deleting a message on Messenger also delete it from Facebook?
Messenger and Facebook are separate systems. Deleting a message in Messenger does not affect anything on your Facebook profile, timeline, or other Facebook features. The deletion only applies to your Messenger conversation history.