You can still read 'deleted' WhatsApp messages! Here's the hack
WhatsApp recently rolled out the "Delete for Everyone" feature, allowing users to recall sent messages in individual or group chats within seven minutes. But, do the messages really go away? Well, a new report claims that the texts don't actually disappear. Also, recipients can still read the "deleted messages" on their devices despite the sender's deletion. Here's how you can read "deleted messages"!
How to retrieve the 'deleted' messages?
The team at Spanish blog Android Jefe claimed that WhatsApp "deleted" sent messages can still be found on the recipient's phone. The messages can be accessed as they exist as a "notification" in the device's notification log. Android Jefe added recipients can easily access the recalled WhatsApp messages sent to them using a third-party Android app called "Notification History" available on Google Play.
The "Delete for Everyone" loophole
Android Jefe said: "What we found is that the messages are stored in the notification register of the Android system. So, it's just a matter of entering that record to see the messages that the other person deleted."
How to use "Notification History" app?
Android users need to download "Notification History" app and allow the permissions for it to access the deleted messages. Whenever the user receives a WhatsApp message, the app would start showing a notification log along with the text, even if the message is deleted. In some devices, the notification log shows up to 100 characters, whereas in some it shows the whole message.
Other ways to access deleted messages
In addition, users can find the messages in the system's notification log without any third-party app if they use third-party Android launchers. They can access it by long pressing on "Home Screen", and selecting Widgets > Activities > Settings > Notification Log.
You can "unsend" messages even after 7 minutes
Last week, Android Jefe discovered another trick to delete sent messages even after the seven-minute deadline. Users can disable internet connection, close WhatsApp, change the phone's date to a day before the sent message's date, open WhatsApp and long-press the text to "delete for everyone". Unlike the trick to read deleted messages, this "unsend" trick can be used on both Android and iOS platforms.
