How to unsend or edit a message on an iPhone

2 min read · 4 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Short answer

In Messages, touch and hold the blue bubble you just sent and tap Undo Send. This works for up to two minutes. To correct it instead, tap Edit, which works for up to 15 minutes. Both need iMessage, so green SMS bubbles cannot be changed.

A message sent to the wrong person or with an embarrassing typo can be pulled back or corrected, as long as you are quick and the other person also uses iMessage.

Step by step

  1. Open the conversation in Messages

    Find the message. It must be a blue bubble.

  2. Touch and hold the message

    A menu appears.

  3. Tap Undo Send

    The bubble disappears with a small animation. Both of you see a note that a message was unsent. The limit is two minutes after sending.

  4. Or tap Edit

    Change the text and tap the tick. The message is marked Edited, and the other person can tap that word to see the earlier versions. You can edit a message up to five times within 15 minutes.

Good to know

Unsending only works fully if the other person has iOS 16 or later, or a Mac with macOS Ventura or later. On older software they may still see the original message.

If they have already read the message or seen the notification, unsending does not change that.

Text messages sent as SMS, shown in green, are delivered by the mobile network and cannot be unsent or edited.

To plan a message for later instead: how to schedule a text message on an iPhone.

In short: Hold the blue bubble, Undo Send within two minutes, or Edit within 15 minutes.

Sources
  • Apple Support: How to unsend messages on your iPhone
  • Apple Support: Unsend or edit messages on iPhone

Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.