How To Delete Instagram Messages: Simple And Quick Guide

Learn how to delete Instagram messages quickly and safely, remove clutter from your inbox, organize your DMs, and keep your messaging experience smooth. In addition, edit and design visually striking Instagram Posts with CapCut desktop video editor.

how to delete instagram messages
CapCut
CapCut
Dec 31, 2025
9 min(s)

Sometimes, we send messages on Instagram by mistake or share something we later regret. In such situations, knowing how to manage your chats becomes very important. Many people look for ways to remove these messages to protect privacy or simply keep their inbox tidy.

This guide will explain how to delete Instagram messages step by step, so you can quickly remove unwanted texts from your conversations without any hassle.

Table of content
  1. How do you delete a message on Instagram
  2. How to delete an Instagram message from both sides
  3. How to delete all Instagram messages
  4. Best practices for deleting Instagram messages
  5. Create and edit vibrant Instagram posts to go viral with CapCut
  6. How to make and edit appealing posts for Instagram in CapCut
  7. Conclusion
  8. FAQs

How do you delete a message on Instagram

Deleting a message on Instagram is simple and helps keep your chats organized or remove texts sent by mistake. You can remove messages from your side of the conversation without affecting the other person's chat. The process involves opening the chat, selecting the message, and confirming deletion. Here is how to delete messages on Instagram:

    STEP 1
  1. Open the chat

Go to your Instagram inbox by swiping left from the home page. Open the conversation containing the message you want to delete.

    STEP 2
  1. Select the message

Long-press on the message, then choose the option "Delete" for You. You can select multiple messages if needed.

    STEP 3
  1. Confirm deletion

Tap "Delete" for You at the bottom, then confirm in the pop-up window. The message will be removed from your chat.

Showing how to delete messages on Instagram

How to delete an Instagram message from both sides

Deleting an Instagram message from both sides lets you remove a message so that neither you nor the recipient can see it. This is useful if you send something by mistake or want to keep your conversation private, helping you manage chats safely and avoid unwanted misunderstandings easily. Below are some simple steps to delete messages on Instagram from both sides:

    STEP 1
  1. Open the chat

Launch the Instagram app and tap the lightning bolt icon at the top right to access your messages. Open the conversation containing the message you want to unsend.

    STEP 2
  1. Select the message

Long-press on the message you wish to remove, then tap Unsend from the options that appear to delete it from both sides immediately.

    STEP 3
  1. Confirm unsending

A pop-up will appear confirming that the message has been unsent. Once confirmed, the message is removed from both your chat and the recipient's chat.

Deleting Instagram messages on both sides

How to delete all Instagram messages

Sometimes, you may want to remove an entire conversation on Instagram instead of individual messages. While you cannot delete messages sent by others individually, deleting the full chat thread removes it from your inbox. This method works well for clearing unwanted or old conversations. Here is how to delete messages from Instagram all at once:

    STEP 1
  1. Open your messages

Go to your Instagram Messages panel and carefully locate the chat you want to delete from your inbox.

    STEP 2
  1. Select the chat

Long-press on the chat thread until a list of options appears, then choose Delete to remove the conversation completely.

    STEP 3
  1. Confirm deletion

In the pop-up window, tap Delete again to permanently remove the entire chat from your Instagram inbox.

Deleting all messages from Instagram

Best practices for deleting Instagram messages

If you want to delete messages on Instagram, some of the best practices listed below will help you clean and secure your chats while also preventing loss of crucial information. These measures help you protect your privacy, tidy your inbox, and ensure that you don't delete something you may need at a later date:

  • Download messages before deleting

Before you delete messages on Instagram, consider downloading a copy of your chat history. This ensures you have a backup of important conversations, photos, or links. Having a saved copy can be useful if you need to reference old chats later.

  • Remove sensitive chat data

When you want to delete messages from Instagram, make sure to remove any sensitive information like personal details, passwords, or financial data. This helps protect your privacy and prevents others from accidentally accessing confidential information.

  • Clear the inbox with conversation deletes

Instead of deleting messages one by one, you can remove entire chat threads to clear clutter. Deleting full conversations keeps your inbox tidy and makes it easier to manage new messages while maintaining control over deleted Instagram messages.

  • Avoid deleting too often

Frequent deletion of messages can make it hard to track important conversations or find information later. Only delete messages on Instagram when necessary to avoid accidentally losing chats that may be important in the future or hold useful details for later reference.

  • Check the deleted messages options

Instagram sometimes lets you recover recently deleted Instagram messages from the "Recently Deleted" section. Before permanently removing chats, check these options so you don't accidentally lose something you might need or want to revisit later on.

Following these tips helps you manage deleted messages on Instagram safely and keep your inbox organized. Backing up chats and handling sensitive data carefully is important. However, for creating flawless content for your Instagram profile, consider using tools like CapCut.

Create and edit vibrant Instagram posts to go viral with CapCut

The CapCut desktop video editor helps you create and edit vibrant Instagram posts that grab attention and boost engagement. It's perfect for turning your ideas into eye-catching videos and reels quickly. With its advanced editing tools, you can enhance visuals, add dynamic effects, and make your content stand out on social media.

Key features

The CapCut desktop video editor comes with a range of key features designed to make your Instagram posts and videos more engaging. Here are some of its key features:

  • Ready-made Instagram video templates

Quickly create stunning posts using ready to edit templates, saving time while keeping your content stylish, professional, and consistent with your brand aesthetic.

  • Turn a long video into a short one

Easily convert long videos to short, engaging clips suitable for Instagram reels and stories, ensuring viewers stay interested from start to finish.

  • Creative transitions and filters

Add smooth transitions and unique filters to make your videos more dynamic and visually appealing, giving them a professional and eye-catching finish.

  • AI color correction

Automatically enhance colors for a professional look, ensuring your videos pop on any feed and stand out against competitors' content.

  • Auto reframe for Instagram

Adjust your videos to fit Instagram's vertical format without losing important content, making every post perfectly optimized for mobile viewing.

  • A variety of background music

Choose from multiple music options to add the perfect mood or vibe to your posts, keeping viewers entertained and engaged throughout.

  • Fast AI facial retouch

Quickly enhance faces in your videos for vibrant and attractive visuals, ensuring your content looks professional and high-quality effortlessly.

Interface of the CapCut desktop video editor - the most liked tool for editing Instagram Reels

How to make and edit appealing posts for Instagram in CapCut

Users can download CapCut by visiting the official website. Click the download button below to start the installation process on your device. Once installed, open the editor to begin creating and editing appealing Instagram posts.

    STEP 1
  1. Import the video

Open the CapCut desktop video editor and create a new project. Then, go to the "Media" tab and click "Import". You can either press the "+" icon or drag and drop the video you want to edit and enhance for Instagram.

Importing a video into the CapCut desktop video editor
    STEP 2
  1. Customize the video

Start by adjusting the video length in the timeline, trimming it to the ideal duration for Instagram. Next, open the "Audio" tab and under "Music", browse for trending tracks, download your preferred one, and add it to the video by clicking the "+" icon. After that, enhance your video quality by enabling the "Stabilize" feature to remove shakiness, and turn on "Enhance quality", selecting UHD for sharper visuals.

Customizing the video for Instagram with the CapCut desktop video editor
    STEP 3
  1. Export and share

After finalizing your edits, click "Export" in the top-right corner to open the export window. From there, select your preferred resolution, such as 4K or 8K for high-quality output, choose the desired format, and click "Export" again to save your video. You can also use the "Share" option to post it directly on social media.

Exporting a video from the CapCut desktop video editor

Conclusion

Managing your Instagram messages carefully helps keep your chats organized and protects your privacy. Whether you want to remove individual texts or entire conversations, knowing how to delete Instagram messages ensures you stay in control of your inbox. Always back up important chats and handle sensitive information with care. For creating and sharing engaging posts from your chats, the CapCut desktop video editor can help turn your ideas into eye-catching content.

FAQs

    1
  1. Can deleted Instagram messages be recovered?

Recently deleted Instagram messages can sometimes be recovered from the "Recently Deleted" folder within 30 days. After this period, messages are permanently removed and cannot be restored. Always back up important chats before deleting them to avoid losing crucial information. However, to make content for Instagram that attracts viewers, use the CapCut desktop video editor.

    2
  1. Why do deleted Instagram messages sometimes reappear?

Messages may reappear if the deletion didn't complete properly or due to a temporary app glitch. Sync issues between devices can also cause deleted messages to show again. Restarting the app or updating Instagram usually fixes the problem. Moreover, use tools like CapCut to make captivating video content for Instagram that viewers like.

    3
  1. Is it possible to delete Instagram messages from archived chats?

Yes, you can delete messages from archived chats, but you need to open the archived conversation first. Long-press the message and choose Delete for You to remove it permanently from your side. The other person may still see the messages unless you unsend them. You can turn these archived chats into engaging stories or posts using the CapCut desktop video editor.

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