To delete phone messages on Android, open the Google Messages app and delete entire conversations or individual messages. You can also use the Trash folder to recover deleted messages within 30 days, and in RCS chats you can delete a sent message for everyone.
How to delete phone messages on Android: Two main methods
Google Messages offers two primary ways to delete messages. You can permanently delete conversations immediately, or you can move them to Trash for temporary storage. For RCS chats, a special "Delete for everyone" option is also available when all participants use the latest version of Google Messages with RCS enabled.
Delete individual text messages or entire conversations
To delete one or more conversations in Google Messages, open the app and select the conversations you want to remove, then tap Delete. To delete individual messages within a conversation, press and hold a sent message and choose Delete for me. Standard deletion is permanent unless the message is still in Trash on versions that have that feature. Deleted conversations are also removed from the device when Google Messages is the default messaging app. Deleting individual text messages only removes them from your device; the message will still exist on the recipient's device unless they also delete it. Deleting a message will only remove it from the conversation, not from any backups or synced devices. Third-party apps like Textra SMS, Signal Private Messenger, and Microsoft SMS Organizer can be used for message management and deletion. Clearing the messaging app's cache can resolve slow performance or glitches without deleting actual messages. To clear the messaging app's cache: Settings > Apps > [messaging app] > Storage > Clear cache.
- Open Google Messages.
- Select the conversations you want to remove.
- Tap Delete.
Use Trash to recover deleted messages within 30 days
Google Messages includes a Trash folder that keeps deleted conversations for 30 days before permanent deletion. To move a conversation to Trash, open Google Messages, select the conversation, tap More, then choose Move to Trash and confirm. Within those 30 days, you can restore messages or permanently delete them early. This feature is useful for freeing up phone storage space while giving you a safety net if you accidentally delete something important.
To get to the trash on my phone, open Google Messages, tap your profile picture or the three-dot menu, and select Trash. From there, you can view, restore, or permanently delete any messages still within the 30-day window.
Delete a sent message for everyone in RCS chats
In Google Messages, you can delete text messages on Android for both sides when all participants use RCS and the latest version of Google Messages. Press and hold a sent message, then choose Delete for everyone. This feature does not apply to SMS or MMS messages, which can only be deleted from your own device. The recipient will see a notice that the message was deleted.
What happens after you delete messages
Standard deletion only removes messages from your device and does not affect what recipients see, except for the RCS delete-for-everyone feature. Messages moved to Trash remain for 30 days before being permanently deleted. If you need to recover deleted texts and messages on Android & iPhone, note that Android offers the Trash folder for 30-day recovery, while iPhone users on iOS 16 or later can recover deleted messages from a Recently Deleted folder for up to 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I restore deleted messages on my Android phone?
Yes, if you moved the conversation to Trash, you can restore it within 30 days by opening the Trash folder, selecting the conversation, and choosing Restore. After 30 days, the deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.
How can I delete multiple messages at once on my Android device?
In Google Messages, you can select multiple conversations by long-pressing one conversation, then tapping additional conversations. Once selected, tap Delete to remove them all at once.
Why do I need to delete messages on my Android phone?
Deleting unwanted messages helps free up storage space on your device, improves performance by reducing the amount of data your messaging app needs to load, and protects your privacy by removing sensitive information.
How can I set up automatic message deletion on my Android phone?
Look for 'Message Cleanup' or 'Automatic Deletion' in messaging app settings.
For the wider topic, see freeing up phone storage space.
