Microsoft Teams delete chat message is missing

Question

Why I can't delete a message in Microsoft teams? I need to delete my sent message in a private chat but as you can see the delete option is not available on Microsoft Teams desktop and web app!

I also checked if I can delete a sent message in a team conversation that I am a member of. but the delete option is also missing to delete my own message in Microsoft Teams!

Anyone has encountered the same behavior before

Answer 1

Why I can't delete a message in Microsoft Teams?

In Microsoft Teams, the "delete message option is not available or missing" in the following cases:

1. Your organization disables the Delete sent messages in the Messaging policies,
   • In this case, you will not be able to delete the sent message in the private chat as well as the Team posts.
2. The team owner disallows team members to delete their messages,
   • In this case, you will not be able to delete the sent message in the Team channel conversation. however, you still can delete the message in your Private chat.

In your case, you can't delete a sent message in the Microsoft Team channel conversation as well as the Private chat, so it's mainly related to the Messaging policies settings.

How to enable the delete message option in Microsoft Teams?

To solve the "Delete message option is not available in Microsoft Teams" issue, you should make sure that the "Delete sent messages" option is enabled in the Messaging policy by doing the following:

1. As a Team Service Administrator, log in to the Microsoft Team Admin Center.
2. On the left menu, click on the Messaging policies.
3. Click on Global (Org-wide default) to edit it. (If you have multiple Messaging policies, you have to check them)
   
4. Make sure the "Delete sent messages" option is ON to let users delete messages that they sent in chat.
5. Save your changes.
   

You may need 24 hours to get the policy changes reflected in Microsoft Teams. However, in some cases, it may take a few minutes or less than an hour to get changes reflected, but you will need to sign out from your Microsoft Team Desktop app then and sign in again to get the new updates!

How to enable Team Members to delete their messages in Microsoft Teams?

In case, you can delete the sent message in Private chat. But you still can't delete your message in a specific Team channel conversation. So the team owner disallows the team members to delete their messages in Team Settings.

To can allow Team Members to delete their messages in a Team channel, you should do the following:

1. As a Team Owner, Open your Team > Click on eclipse ... to show the Team options > Select "Manage Team".
   
2. Click on the Settings tab.
3. At "Member permissions" > check "Give members the option to delete their messages".
   

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See Also

• Manage messaging policies in Teams
• Delete channel option is missing in Microsoft Teams

Comments

Thanks, Mohamed!, Great answer as usual! I have another related question please, Can I delete the whole chat as well? I can't find any option to delete private chat in Microsoft Teams, Is it Possible?

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You're welcome! It would be nice to upvote and mark the answer as accepted in case it helped you! also please for any related question, just ask it at a new thread by clicking on the link icon below my answer! Thanks!