If you’ve sent something you regret in an RCS Google Messages group chat, it looks like you’ll soon be able to delete the message for everyone, not just yourself. On Thursday, a Reddit user posted (via 9to5Google) a screenshot of this option in the public beta of the Android messaging app.
The image, from u/seeareeff, shows a pop-up menu asking if they want to “Delete for everyone” or “Delete for me.” Until now, the latter option has been the only deletion option in the app.
The uninstall for all feature is in line with the universal RCS v2.7 profile. The GSMA finalized this update in June 2024, but it will take time for RCS-enabled apps like Google to implement it. In February, the dismantling of 9to5Google’s Messages app showed that changes are in the works for Android users.
There are a few caveats. First, not all users in the public beta saw this option. In addition, the Reddit user who noticed it only saw it in a group chat with 12 people; it was not yet in their private messages. Finally, an app study conducted by 9to5Google in February revealed a limitation worth keeping in mind: Deleted messages “can still be seen by other users of older versions of the apps.”
