How to Delete Messages in Viber

Have you ever sent an awkward message by accident? You likely have, and you know that horrible feeling of shock and shame. The worst part? Waiting for the recipient to reply after you’ve explained what happened.

Many popular messaging services have started introducing the option to delete the messages. This was available on most services before but would delete the message only for you. Most platforms now allow you to delete a message for everyone, and Viber is no exception.

Various Platforms

Viber is an app that is available cross-platform. This means that iOS and Android devices each have a dedicated Viber app. The apps for each of the two operative systems are identical, so here’s an in-depth guide on deleting messages on iOS and Android.

How to Delete a Message Individually

If you’ve accidentally sent a message to the wrong person, you can easily delete it. This section will show you how to delete a single message for yourself and everyone.

Note: These instructions vary slightly for iOS and Android users.

1. First, you’ll need to open Viber. Then, tap on Chats in the bottom-left corner of the Viber screen on your phone or tablet.
   
2. You will see a list of your Viber chats. Select the one you want to delete a message in by tapping it.
3. Find the message in question and tap and hold it. A bar will open with Reply, Copy, Forward, Delete, and Share options.
   
4. Tap Delete.
5. This will prompt you with a Delete Message window. The Delete for myself option will delete the message only for you. Select the Delete for everyone option or click Cancel to go back.
   

Keep in mind that a generic “user has deleted the message” text will be displayed to everyone, so everybody in your chat will know that you’ve deleted it. However, the message itself won’t be accessible.

How to Delete the Chat History

Perhaps it’s time to clean up your Viber app. Follow these instructions to delete your chat history.

1. Once on the main screen of the Viber app, in the bottom-right corner of it, you’ll see a “…” icon (for iPhone) or three horizontal lines (for Android) which is the More tab.
   
2. Tap here and navigate to the Settings menu.
   
3. In the Settings menu, find Calls and Messages and tap it. In this menu, you’ll see the Clear Message History option.
   
4. When you tap this option, a Delete History window will pop up with two options: Clear and Cancel.

Select Clear to confirm history deletion. This will delete all messages in every single one of your conversations. Keep in mind that deleting the message history won’t delete the message history for conversation participants, but only for you. Tap Cancel to go back.

When Not to Delete

When you send a message on Viber, a checkmark will immediately appear in it. This checkmark means that the message is still sending. Two checkmarks indicate that the message has been delivered, meaning that the recipient has been notified. When the two checkmarks turn purple, this means that the person you’ve sent the message to has seen the message.

This is important to know when considering whether to delete a message. Sometimes, in these instances, you’re much better off explaining why you’ve accidentally sent the message than blatantly deleting it, leaving the recipient confused. If the person you’ve accidentally sent a message to has not yet seen the message, you’ll probably want to delete it.

If you send an irrelevant emoji by accident (as emojis play a huge role on Viber), you may feel compelled to remove this message. Like any other messages on Viber, emojis can be removed the same way you’d delete a message. Keep in mind, though, that this will also leave the deletion notice that the recipient(s) will be able to see. To avoid unpleasant situations and having to explain that the message was an irrelevant emoji, consider just telling them that you’ve sent the emoji by accident.

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep reading for more answers to your most frequently asked questions about deleting Viber chats.

Will the recipient know that I’ve deleted a message?

Yes. If you delete a message a notification will appear that you have deleted something. But fortunately, the recipient will not be able to see the content of that message.

Can I delete a message in a Viber group?

Yes. All you need to do is long-press the message and tap ‘Delete’ just as we did above. Group chats also give you the option to delete the message for everyone.

Careful What You Type

To avoid the unpleasant situation of having to delete a message and taking a risk that you won’t do it quickly enough, make sure to think carefully when sending Viber messages. Although Viber offers the option to delete a message for everyone in the conversation, the notice that you’ve deleted the message will be there and make things potentially awkward.

The awkward content doesn’t have to be in the text format only. Even worse, you may end up sending an inappropriate picture you’ve intended for your friends to your boss. Your boss will be in your Chats list if they use Viber, so the risk is definitely there.

Deleting Messages on Viber

Whether you own an iPhone, an iPad, an Android phone, or an Android tablet, permanently deleting Viber messages for everyone is possible. It is very simple to do and intuitive, but keep in mind that everyone in your chat will know that you’ve deleted a message, whatever its type.

Have you ever had to delete a Viber chat message? Was it awkward? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below.