I’m sure we’ve all been there. You send a message on Instagram, only to instantly regret it. Maybe you sent it to the wrong person, maybe autocorrect messed it up, or maybe you’re just having second thoughts. Whatever the reason, you first want to know if you can still unsend it.
How Long Can You Unsend A Message on Instagram?
Well, the good news is that there’s no time limit. Whether you sent the message five seconds or five hours ago, you can unsend it whenever you want. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Unsending messages on Instagram is very different when compared to other platforms. So there’s a lot of cover here.
How to Unsend a Message on Instagram?
Now that you know you can unsend the message after a while, maybe you’re ready to delete something before the recipient sees it. Here’s how you do it:
- Open the Instagram app
- Tap on the DM or Messenger icon on the top right.
- Open the chat where you sent the message you want to remove.
- Tap and hold the message you want to delete.
- Select Unsend from the menu that pops up.
And that’s it! The message will instantly disappear from both your and the recipient’s chats. But before you celebrate, let’s discuss what happens when you unsend a message.
What Happens When You Unsend a Message on Instagram?
So what happens exactly when you unsend a message? Can the recipient still see it? Does it get removed from the notifications? Can it still be reported? Let’s talk about it that a bit.
- If you’re sure you’ve hit unsend, the message will be removed from both you and the recipient’s chat.
- If you hit “delete for you,” then the message will be removed only from your chat and not the recipient’s.
- Unlike Whatsapp and Messenger, Instagram doesn’t leave any text in place of the unsent message indicating that something was unsent.
- Unsent message will also be removed from the recipient’s mobile notifications if it was delivered and their phone is still connected to the internet. (more on that in a bit).
- This one’s a bit obvious but if they already saw the message, well… it’s too late. Unsending won’t erase their memory (though we all wish it worked that way).
Does Instagram Notify When You Unsend a Message?
Nope! Instagram doesn’t send a notification when you unsend a message. If the recipient isn’t looking at the chat at that moment, they’ll never even know you sent something in the first place. Unlike some other messaging apps, Instagram doesn’t leave any “[user] deleted a message” placeholder.
However, if they have push notifications enabled, things get a little trickier. If they were outside the app when you sent the message, they may have seen a preview in their notifications before you unsent it. Once you delete it, the notification disappears. But if they already read it, well… damage was done.
What Happens When You Unsend a Message in Vanish Mode On Instagram?
What happens in the chat stays in the chat, am I right? Messages sent in Vanish Mode automatically disappear after they’re seen and the chat is closed. But what if you unsend a message before that happens?
Well, nothing. If you didn’t get a read receipt, they didn’t see the message. Unlike regular DMs, there is no chance that they will see the preview through notifications. The only time Instagram notifies you of something in Vanish mode is when someone screenshots or records a screen on Vanish mode.
The message still gets removed, just like in regular DMs.
But if they already saw it, you’re out of luck—it’s already burned into their brain.
Unlike regular DMs, Vanish Mode messages don’t appear in notifications, so there’s no risk of them seeing a preview before you delete it.
If they took a screenshot or recorded the screen, Instagram will notify you. (That’s right, no sneaky business allowed!)
Speaking of sneaky, let’s talk about screen recording.
Can You Unsend a View Once Photo on Instagram?
Yes, you can unsend a view once photo just like you would any other message on Instagram, but only if the recipient hasn’t opened it yet. Once they’ve viewed it, unsending kind of becomes pointless as they cannot be viewed again.
If they haven’t seen it yet, here’s how to unsend it:
- Launch the Instagram app
- Open your DMs and go to the conversation.
- Press and hold the photo or video sent.
- Tap Unsend. – *poof*
How Long Can You Edit a Message on Instagram?
Instagram finally gave us an Edit Message feature because, let’s be honest, we all make typos. But you only get 15 minutes to fix your message after sending it. After the 15-minute window closes, that typo is officially part of history (unless you delete the message entirely).
The good news? Edits are not visible to the recipient. So there’s no “Edited” label like on WhatsApp or iMessage. Once you change your message, it replaces the original, making it look like you got it right the first time. Unless, of course, they saw the original before you hit edit.
How to Edit a Message on Instagram?
Editing a message is super easy, and if you act fast, no one will ever know you fumbled your words. Here’s how to do it:
- Open Instagram
- Head to your DMs from the top right.
- Find the conversation where you sent the message you want to edit.
- Tap and hold the message until a menu pops up.
- Select Edit from the options.
- Make your changes and hit Send.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- You can edit only within 15 minutes of sending the message.
- Once edited, the original version is gone. There’s no edit history.
- The recipient won’t get a notification that the message was edited.
Can You Recover an Unsent Message on Instagram?
Nope. Once you unsend a message, it’s gone forever. There’s no archive, no “undo” button, no way to retrieve it. Instagram doesn’t keep a backup (at least not one that’s accessible to users).
So, if you send and unsend messages impulsively and regret them later, you should take a deep breath before hitting send.
How to See a Message on Instagram After It’s Unsent?
So what if you’re on the receiving end? What if someone sends you a message and unsends it before you can read it? Is there a way to recover it?
Technically, no. But there’s a trick. If you’re using a stock Android device (like a Google Pixel) or a Samsung phone with One UI, you can enable Notification History. This feature saves all your notifications, including Instagram DMs, even if they’re deleted. Here’s how to enable Notification History:
- Go to Settings on your Android phone.
- Tap Notifications > Advanced Settings.
- Find and enable Notification History.
Now, if someone sends you a message and deletes it before you can see it, you can check your notification history to find out what it was. However, there are a few things to keep in mind.
- This does not work for Vanish Mode messages (since they don’t show up in notifications at all).
- Photos and videos won’t be saved, as only text messages appear in notifications.
- iPhones don’t have this feature, so Apple users are out of luck.
Can You Report Unsent Chats on Instagram?
Yes, you can. But because there’s no trace of it, you can’t report it specifically. You will have the report the entire conversation. This should come in handy if someone keeps sending you unsolicited and unpleasant messages. Unsending should not excuse them.
Unsent messages will be a part of that report. Here’s how you can report a conversation on Instagram:
- Open Instagram app on your phone.
- Tap on the DM or Messenger icon on the top right.
- Find the conversation you want to report.
- Tap on the person’s name at the top of the chat.
- Tap on options and hit report.
Alternatives to Unsending a Message
Before you go unsending messages left and right, consider these alternatives:
- Just own up to it: If you accidentally send something embarrassing, sometimes it’s better to just follow up with “Oops, wrong chat” rather than drawing attention to the deletion.
- Use Vanish Mode: If you’re sending something sensitive, using Vanish Mode ensures it disappears automatically.
- Double-check before you hit send: Seriously, it takes two seconds to read your message before pressing send.
Wrapping Up
One thing I really like about unsending messages on Instagram is that it doesn’t really leave a trace. If the recipient hasn’t seen the message, they don’t need to know that a message was there to begin with. However, when it comes to edited messages, the fact that there is no indicator that says “edited” is a bit concerning.
Yes, the 15-minute time window helps. When people are actively texting, 15 minutes amounts to a lot of text, and edited messages can lead to a lot of confusion. Instead of 15 minutes, they should employ unlimited time for editing just like they do for deleting messages. To avoid confusion, there should be an edit history for messages. Yes, this takes away from the messages’ “clean” aesthetics. But it’s more functional and useful. Other than my two cents, here’s a small tip to end with: Think before you send.