We all know that sinking feeling when you accidentally send a screenshot of a conversation, b*tchy comment about a friend, or 'cheeky' selfie to the wrong person on Whatsapp.
Oh the shame, the guilt, the horror!
Well, fortunately the brainiacs over at Whatsapp have come to our technological disaster rescue and revolutionised the way we interact on the app forever.
Digital Spy reports the instant messaging service has been developing a new function, officially known as 'Delete for Everyone', for several months and has finally started to roll out the feature to users of the most recent version of the app.
As a result, 'Whatsappers' will now be able to 'recall' or 'revoke' a message with seven minutes - yep, a mere seven minutes is your window here - as long as the recipient hasn't read the message and both of you are using the latest version of WhatsApp for iPhone, Windows Phone or Android.
Given the way us technophiles are rarely a metre away from our phones these days, the chances of your mate on WhatsApp not spotting your message within seven minutes is unlikely but, it's worth a shot, right?
In an FAQ explaining how to use the new function, WhatsApp said: 'This is particularly useful if you sent a message to the wrong chat or if the message you sent contains a mistake.
'Messages you successfully delete for everyone will be replaced with "This message was deleted" in your recipients' chats.'
'Similarly, if you see "This message was deleted" in a chat, it means that the sender deleted their message for everyone.'
Okay, so recipients will be informed of your 'regret-delete' decision but they'll be none the wiser when it comes to knowing what your shameful message entailed which, as we all know, is well worth the embarrassment.
To unsend/delete a message, all you have to do is tap and hold the text you wish to recall, then choose 'Delete' from the menu then 'Delete for Everyone'.
However, since the feature's release last month, there have been doubts as to whether it actually works. A team from Spanish blog Android Jefe have reportedly discovered ways Android users can subvert the mechanism and read messages there weren't meant to see.
The team claims one way involves holding down the Settings icon, tapping the Widgets symbol that show up at the top of the pop-up window and dragging the Settings Widget to the home screen, before scrolling down to Notification Log and selecting the relevant messages.
Another involves downloading an app called Notification History and giving it permission to access deleted messages.
'What we found is that the messages are stored in the notification register of the Android system. So, it's just a matter of entering that record to see the messages that the other person deleted,' the blog explained.
Disappointed?
Well, don't be because others claim users can only read deleted messages if they've already interacted with/seen them, while others say messages disappear from your Notification Log when you restart your phone. Phew!
Eh voilá, Whatsapp shame is now a thing of the past.
Well, sort of.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
