Google Messages adds delete-for-everyone via RCS

Google Messages has expanded its feature set with the ability to delete sent messages for everyone, a function that works over Rich Communication Services and removes the message from both the sender’s and recipient’s screens. The option, first noted in earlier app code, is now rolling out to a broader user base as part of Google's push to broaden the capabilities of its default Android messaging app.

The feature appears when a user selects a sent message and taps the trash icon, offering two choices: Delete for me and Delete for everyone. When a message is deleted for everyone, it is removed from the chat history on both sides. The move adds to a growing suite of RCS-enhanced functions, such as higher-quality photo sharing, and aligns Google Messages with rival platforms that already support similar unsend capabilities.

However, practical use hinges on several conditions. The deletion for everyone option requires that both participants are using compatible RCS setups. If the recipient has not updated to an RCS-enabled version, or if the message has already been opened or saved, the feature may not take effect. This limitation underscores ongoing fragmentation in cross-platform...