How to delete all traces of a WhatsApp conversation

Sometimes it happens, due to circumstances, that you want not to leave a trace of a conversation on WhatsApp. Although it is a secure and private messaging application, where messages are end-to-end encrypted, it never hurts to know how to make WhatsApp photos, messages, and even WhatsApp calls and video calls disappear. Everything leaves a trace, but everything can be hidden, unless computer forensics is done. Here we give you the keys to not leaving a clue about your activity on WhatsApp

Deleting messages

For several months WhatsApp has activated the deletion of messages for everyone. With this we can delete something that we have published and that we regret. Either because it contains a mistake, because we have confused the conversation or because we do not want the other or others (it also works in groups) to read it. Of course, this function is really limited by several issues

On the one hand, there is the limitation of time, which prevents us from deleting a message for everyone if 8 minutes have passed since its publication. In addition, there are formulas for the message to remain, such as mentioning it in another message or capturing the original notification before deleting it (there are specific applications for this).Although, the most serious thing is that it leaves a trace with a notice announcing that there was a message there and that it was deleted by its author.

Another option is to delete messages for me. This function available in WhatsApp chats, which appears when marking a message with a long press, deletes the content of the conversation. Only for us, but without leaving a visible trace in the application. It is as if that message had never been sent or received. However, there are traces of it internally, within WhatsApp backup files. However, you have to be a computer expert and have direct access to the terminal to discover it. Of course, the message will continue in the chat of the other person with whom you write in that same chat.

Delete conversations

One step further is delete conversations If you want to leave it removed from the main chat screen but accessible to all its contents, you can always make a long press and archive it.This sends archived chats to the bottom of the conversations screen, to the archive, where they can be reviewed at will without appearing among the rest. Of course, the conversation is automatically reactivated as soon as a new message is received, so it is not the most secure or private option.

Yes, it can be emptied of content, leaving the chat clean from top to bottom. It would be something like deleting messages, but massively. This continues to give clues that, at some point, information has been exchanged with that contact or group, since the conversation is still active, although without messages. Therefore, it is not entirely convenient if you do not want to leave a trace.

The best thing, if you want to leave a conversation behind permanently, is to delete it. Mark it on the chat screen with a long press and then select the trash can iconAutomatically afterwards, the option to delete all multimedia files is presented. Or what is the same, get rid of the photos and videos sent and received through that conversation. If we accept and continue, we will make messages and chat disappear from WhatsApp. All of this allowing the interlocutor to maintain contact, in which case the chat will reappear on the conversations screen.

The definitive way to keep track of a conversation is to block the contact in question. To do this, you only have to access the conversation, click on the upper part to access the information, and look for the button Block In this way, said contact will not be able to call or send messages. It is then that we can also delete the entire chat, making sure to eliminate the evidence and prevent, thanks to the block, the conversation from reappearing. The only problem in this case is that the blocking can make it clear that there has been contact at some point before the deletion.

Clear WhatsApp call history

In WhatsApp all calls and video calls that are carried out through the service are also recorded. Practically like the mobile call history. Data that helps the ordinary user to know their conversations and communications, but that can give more clues for those who do not want to leave anything in plain sight. Well, this information can also be deleted.

Remember that WhatsApp has its own tab for calls. You just have to scroll to it to see all interactions, both calls and video calls. Whether they have been incoming or outgoing, everything is here in plain sight. Now, we have two options: delete a specific record or completely delete all history

To delete an individual call we only have to make a long press on it This will mark said interaction, allowing us to select others if we wish . Then, you just have to click on the trash can icon to remove them from the registration screen. And voila, the perfect crime.

The other, more radical option is to get rid of all history. WhatsApp saves this option in the contextual menu that opens when you click on the three points on the Calls tab. If we choose this option, the deletion is extended to all interactions, leaving the tab clean and without any clue Now, we must think carefully about this option since it can be Pretty fishy not to have any incoming missed calls. And is that who has not been confused when looking at a profile photo or when handling WhatsApp without much attention, pressing the call or video call icon? Keep this in mind before you get rid of everything.

Deletes starred messages

Perhaps, in a moment of display of order and foresight, you have marked as favorite a message (photo or video) that you wanted to have close at hand. And it is very likely that, with the passage of time, you will completely forget about him. Well, you better check the featured messages section to delete everything you want to hide. And it is useless to delete chats and messages if a track is saved as highlighted.

Open the WhatsApp three-point menu and jump to the Featured messages section. Here you can review each conversation and saved message, unpinning it so that it is lost in time and forgotten. And one less problem.

Do not leave tracks in backup copies

By default, to avoid problems and loss of information, WhatsApp carries out a backup of all your chats at dawn.It usually does this at 2:00 in the morning, collecting all this information into a new daily file and also uploading it to the cloud. In this way, if our mobile is lost or stolen and we install WhatsApp on another, with the same telephone number, we will be able to recover all the messages saved up to that day at 2:00 in the morning. Very useful for users, although a test bench for those who are most jealous of their privacy. Luckily there are several options to avoid this.

On the one hand there are the options of the menu Backup, which is found within Chats, in the WhatsApp settings. Here we can choose to never create these copies, avoiding the generation of backup files.

On the other hand, there is the option to get rid of these files manually. To do this, with an Android mobile, connect to the computer, or use a file browser application.Inside the terminal, in the Android folder, you have to look for the WhatsApp folder, which includes everything you need for the application to work. Among the folders you can find Databases, which is where the mentioned backup files are stored. All of them have, in their name, a reference to the date on which they were created. In this way, it is possible to get rid of the copy you are interested in, which contains the compromised messages that you want to make disappear. And ready.

Now remember that if you don't abort the backup, it is possible that the previous day's backup contains these messages. So it is not only interesting to delete the file in question, but to generate a new copy Especially if messages have been deleted as we have shown in the first sections of this article , or conversations have been deleted. Once a backup is created without the deleted messages, and the files from previous days are deleted, there is no way to recover those deleted chats and messages.It would be the most secure and final option, so don't forget to make your backup copies once you hide your conversations and messages.

Delete WhatsApp account

The last and definitive step to safeguard our privacy and ensure that nothing of us remains in the service, goes through delete the WhatsApp account , among other steps that we will discuss below. If it is a secondary account, it is possible that you will not suffer the loss and, with this, you prevent the information and messages from continuing to flow and occur.

The step is simple. You just have to open the WhatsApp settings and go through the Account section, where the Delete account option is listed. To finish the process you have to confirmsign the phone number that you want to delete from the system, that is, the one that is linked to the WhatsApp account that we are going to delete (ours). By confirming the action there is no turning back.

Deleting the WhatsApp account will make you have to create one from scratch if you want to use the application again with that number. In addition, it ends with the message history and with the groups, from which you will be expelled. Also deletes any backups stored in the Google Drive cloud

Now, residual files and backups already made remain on the device So if you really don't want to leave no trace of your use of WhatsApp on your mobile, it is best to format it and return it to its factory state.

Another less radical and less private and secure option would be to go through the Settings of the terminal and look for WhatsApp among the applications to delete the application data.Also, you should navigate the application folders and delete everything Of course, say goodbye to photos, videos, chats and messages forever.