We’ve all been there: sending a message to the wrong person or regretting a hastily typed-out thought before it lands in someone else’s inbox. While iMessage and WhatsApp have long offered the luxury of unsending messages, Google Messages has remained a bit behind—until now. Recent developments hint that Google is gearing up to introduce a “Delete for everyone” feature, bringing its popular messaging app in line with industry standards and user expectations.

It all started when a well-known teardown expert, going by the handle @AssembleDebug, discovered intriguing bits of code in the latest beta version of Google Messages (v20250131_02_RC00). Hidden among the familiar strings was one that read “Delete for everyone.” This discovery suggests that Google is drawing inspiration from rivals like WhatsApp, where unsending a message replaces it with a placeholder note stating “Message deleted by its author.”

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While the specifics are still under wraps, the beta hints at some familiar limitations. For instance, a string in the code warns that “Messages may still be seen by others on older app versions.” In plain terms, this means that for the unsend feature to work as intended, both you and your recipient need to be running the latest version of the app. Google is likely to implement a time limit for this deletion feature too—much like WhatsApp’s two-day window for revoking sent messages.

Accidents happen. Whether it’s a misplaced emoji, an autocorrect gone rogue, or a private comment sent to a group chat, having the ability to retract a message can save you from potential embarrassment—or even serious personal or professional fallout.

Currently, if you try to delete a message in Google Messages, it only vanishes from your device. The recipient’s copy remains intact, leaving no room for a do-over. The anticipated “Delete for everyone” function would not only remove the message from your chat but would also revoke it from the recipient’s conversation. This change is set to affect only RCS (Rich Communication Services) chats, the modern upgrade to traditional SMS that supports richer features like high-resolution media, read receipts, and interactive elements.

The move to incorporate unsend functionality is part of a broader upgrade within the RCS Universal Profile 2.7—a set of standards released in late June 2024 designed to enhance the overall messaging experience. This new profile doesn’t just standardize message deletion; it also aims to iron out inconsistencies in how replies and reactions are handled. Both Google Messages and Apple’s iMessage currently manage reactions in a somewhat ad hoc manner, often resulting in a buggy and uneven user experience.

But the upgrades don’t stop there. RCS Universal Profile 2.7 is also set to improve spam reporting by extending it to one-on-one conversations, thereby bolstering user safety. Moreover, Google has been making significant strides in bolstering the security of its messaging platform by adding support for the new Messaging Layer Security (MLS) encryption standard—a move that promises to enhance cross-platform security and safeguard your private conversations.

For everyday users, these updates are more than just technical tweaks—they’re about regaining control over your digital communications. Imagine the relief of knowing that if you send a message in error, you have a built-in safety net to retract it before anyone else sees your misstep. As our lives become increasingly digital, features like unsend aren’t just conveniences; they’re necessities.

However, there are a few caveats. The feature will only work if all participants are on the latest version of Google Messages, and the deletion capability is currently expected to be available exclusively for RCS chats. This means traditional SMS conversations may not see the same level of flexibility, at least for now.

Google’s push to incorporate an unsend feature isn’t occurring in isolation. For years, WhatsApp has dominated with its robust messaging capabilities, including the ability to delete messages for everyone within a set time window. Apple’s iMessage, too, offers similar functionalities, albeit with its own unique user interface quirks. By following suit, Google not only levels the playing field but also reinforces its commitment to evolving its services to meet modern communication demands.

While Google has yet to announce an official timeline for these updates, the fact that the code is already surfacing in beta builds is an encouraging sign. As the company continues to roll out enhancements from Universal Profile 2.7, it’s reasonable to expect that features like unsend will be among the first to reach a broader audience.