How to delete Slack messages that you've sent, and what to do if you can't delete them

When you delete Slack messages, you'll need to delete them one at a time, as you can't bulk-delete.
Unless you're an administrator, you can only delete your own Slack messages.
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Everyone has said something they wish they could take back. If you use Slack , you likely can take them back.

By default, Slack lets you delete any message you send, no matter when you sent it. This is great if you made a typo, sent a message in the wrong channel, or accidentally interrupted someone.

However, workspace administrators also have the ability to disable message deleting. If you follow the steps below and can't find any deletion options, this is likely the case for your workspace.

Here's how to delete your Slack messages, whether you're using the desktop app or website for Mac and PC , or the mobile app for iPhone and Android devices, as well as an alternative to deleting if it's disabled.

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How to delete Slack messages on a computer

1. Open up Slack on your Mac or PC and navigate to the message of yours that you want to delete.

2. Hover your cursor over the message you want to delete, and click the three dots that appear to the right of the message.

How to delete Slack messages 1 Devon Delfino/Business Insider

3. Select "Delete message" from the menu that appears. If it's not an option, then you can't delete that message.

How to delete Slack messages 2 Devon Delfino/Business Insider

4. Confirm your decision by clicking "Delete" in the pop-up that appears.

How to delete Slack messages 3 Devon Delfino/Business Insider

How to delete Slack messages on mobile

1. Open Slack on your iPhone or Android device, and tap and hold on the message you want to delete.

2. Select "Delete Message" from the menu that appears.

How to delete Slack messages 4 Devon Delfino/Business Insider

3. You'll be asked to confirm that you want to delete it. Tap the "Delete" or "Yes, Delete the message" option.

How to delete Slack messages 5 Devon Delfino/Business Insider

How to edit Slack messages if you cant delete them

If you're in a workspace that doesn't let you delete messages, there's an alternative that accomplishes the next best thing. However, you'll need to be in a workspace that allows you to edit your messages after you send them.

1. Find the message that you want to delete, but don't have the ability to.

2. If you're on your desktop, hover your mouse over it and click the three dots that appear to the right, then select "Edit message." If you're on mobile, tap and hold your finger on the message, then select "Edit message." If this option doesn't appear, then you can't edit your messages, and you're out of luck.

3. The message that you selected will appear in the message box at the bottom of the page. Replace the entire text with a period, or another brief punctuation mark. Don't use a space.

4. Press "Enter" or "Return" on your desktop, or tap the checkmark on the right if you're on mobile.

This will delete your message and replace anything you said with that punctuation. Note, however, that if you included a link or other attachment, you'll need to delete that separately by clicking the tiny X icon next to it.