WhatsApp, one of the most popular instant messaging services in the world, recently rolled out a feature called ‘Delete for Everyone’. This feature allowed WhatsApp users to delete a sent message within seven minutes of sending it, giving enough time for users to delete a message containing a typo or any other incorrect details.
Bypassing 'Delete for Everyone' is actually quite easy
While this new feature meant huge relief for a lot of people, we have some bad news. A new finding has revealed that 'Delete for Everyone' can be bypassed easily in two simple ways.
The first method involves simply quoting a message before it is deleted for everyone within seven minutes. Initially found out by The Next Web, it is being reported that this is actually a feature and not a bug.
The message quote will continue to show the text of the deleted message on the recipient’s device, rendering the 'Delete for Everyone' feature useless.
The second method involves accessing the notification history on Android. Users can use a third-party app to access the entire notification log to read the text in deleted WhatsApp messages.
So, how exactly can this be done?
A third-party app called Notification History can be downloaded from the Google Play store. There are perhaps other similar apps available, but The Next Web used this one.
After downloading the app, users will have to search for the deleted message in the Android notification log. Those using third-party launchers like the Nova Launcher will find it easier.
"The notification log can be accessed without the need of an additional app. Long press the home screen, then tap on Widgets > Activities > Settings > Notification log. You can then access the system’s notification log from here," explains the blog.
However, you can only see the first 100 characters of the message and not the full thing.
On a stock Android, the Settings widget can give access to the notification log as well.
This can be done for any message that was delivered on your device, but this method won’t work if you had never received the message to begin with.
