WhatsApp Changes Rules Around Deleting Messages on iOS and Android Once Again

WhatsApp introduced the 'Delete for Everyone' feature last year, however, it only had a bulletin think bridge of around 7 minutes. The limit was recently extended to 4,096 seconds on WhatsApp'due south Android version, and the same has now been rolled out on WhatsApp for iOS via a stable update (version 2.18.31).

The new data was revealed by WABetaInfo via a tweet. Nevertheless, additional details most the update on the official WABetaInfo website suggests that WhatsApp has also tweaked the algorithm behind the feature to prevent misuse.

A new WhatsApp for iOS update (2.18.31) is available on AppStore.
It is a bug fixes update, simply it has the new "Delete for everyone" limit, that's 1 60 minutes, viii minutes and 16 seconds.

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) March 8, 2018

The latest WhatsApp update has increased the message deletion window to 1 60 minutes, viii minutes and 16 seconds on iOS, aside from introducing some bug fixes. However, WhatsApp has also tweaked the manner in which the 'Delete for Everyone' characteristic works, in a bid to cake invalid message revoke requests sent to its server and forestall misuse.

Co-ordinate to WABetaInfo'due south report, those using modded or unauthorized versions of WhatsApp could exploit the message think functionality and delete texts even after the 68-minute limit, fifty-fifty those dating as far back as 3 years. To curb this practice, WhatsApp has implemented a new 'Cake Revoke Request' characteristic which will brand information technology impossible to delete a message which is older than 24 hours. It is not quite clear what problem this solves, but it'due south designed around the fact that users would open up WhatsApp at to the lowest degree in one case a twenty-four hours.

The new 24-hr dominion volition be applicative for users who use a stable build as well as modded versions of WhatsApp.