Forum Discussion
Sophie_Bruehl
Jul 20, 2021Iron Contributor
What´s the reason that I can´t delete chats
Does anybody know why it is not pssible to delete old chats?
- Jul 20, 2021
Hello there Sophie_Bruehl
The truth is that you can't delete old chats, this is what we call "by-design". There’s no option to delete a full chat in Microsoft Teams. But you should be able to delete or edit your own messages.
What you can right now, are the following options:
- Deleting a single chat message on Microsoft Teams- Hiding the chat: Hiding a chat keeps it out of your way on Teams. To hide a chat, right-click on the chat name, and click hide. Once you hide the chat, it only shows up again when someone sends a new message to it. You can also bring the chat back by searching for a participant’s name or the chat in your search box. Right-click on the chat and choose to unhide to see it again.
- Muting the chat: You can also mute a chat if you’re sure you don’t want to hear from it again. You’ll still be in the conversation when you mute a chat but won’t receive notifications. Right-click the chat and choose the mute option. You can then hide the chat, too if you like. Right-click and click unmute to receive notifications again.
If you’re worried about long-term chat archives, you can check your admin settings. Teams chat, file, and channel information is saved indefinitely by default on Teams. You can change retention policies in the Microsoft 365 compliance center.
When you set a retention policy for Teams, you can choose which information you keep. Your policy will allow you to:
- Retain Teams messages for a specific period then delete it
- Delete Teams chats or channel messages after a specific duration.Last but not least, you can vote on the UserVoice for this feature to come out as soon as possible - the posts with more votes, get more attention for the backend/design team.
Some examples here for this "delete chat feature": https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/41353873-delete-chat-conversations ; https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/40870207-delete-chat ; https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/41461267-delete-chat-message
Hope this helps 🙂
pedro_salvador_gomes
Microsoft
Jul 20, 2021Hello there Sophie_Bruehl
The truth is that you can't delete old chats, this is what we call "by-design". There’s no option to delete a full chat in Microsoft Teams. But you should be able to delete or edit your own messages.
What you can right now, are the following options:
- Deleting a single chat message on Microsoft Teams
- Hiding the chat: Hiding a chat keeps it out of your way on Teams. To hide a chat, right-click on the chat name, and click hide. Once you hide the chat, it only shows up again when someone sends a new message to it. You can also bring the chat back by searching for a participant’s name or the chat in your search box. Right-click on the chat and choose to unhide to see it again.
- Muting the chat: You can also mute a chat if you’re sure you don’t want to hear from it again. You’ll still be in the conversation when you mute a chat but won’t receive notifications. Right-click the chat and choose the mute option. You can then hide the chat, too if you like. Right-click and click unmute to receive notifications again.
If you’re worried about long-term chat archives, you can check your admin settings. Teams chat, file, and channel information is saved indefinitely by default on Teams. You can change retention policies in the Microsoft 365 compliance center.
When you set a retention policy for Teams, you can choose which information you keep. Your policy will allow you to:
- Retain Teams messages for a specific period then delete it
- Delete Teams chats or channel messages after a specific duration.
Last but not least, you can vote on the UserVoice for this feature to come out as soon as possible - the posts with more votes, get more attention for the backend/design team.
Some examples here for this "delete chat feature": https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/41353873-delete-chat-conversations ; https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/40870207-delete-chat ; https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/41461267-delete-chat-message
Hope this helps 🙂
magnus1970
Feb 04, 2022Copper Contributor
Hi,
The fact that it's not possible to delete a whole chat with someone, is a violation to the European GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
The General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). The GDPR is an important component of EU privacy law and of human rights law, in particular Article 8(1) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. It also addresses the transfer of personal data outside the EU and EEA areas. The GDPR's primary aim is to enhance individuals' control and rights over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business. Superseding the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC, the regulation contains provisions and requirements related to the processing of personal data of individuals (formally called data subjects in the GDPR) who are located in the EEA, and applies to any enterprise—regardless of its location and the data subjects' citizenship or residence—that is processing the personal information of individuals inside the EEA.
In short. If someone I've chatted with via TEAMS, request me to remove all personal data and communication between us. I am by European law required to do that.
If I don't or can't, and this person get knowledge about it. The company I work for will be held responsible and can be brought to court and sentenced.
This is something that Microsoft need to address, as it will come back to them in the end,.
The fact that it's not possible to delete a whole chat with someone, is a violation to the European GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
The General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). The GDPR is an important component of EU privacy law and of human rights law, in particular Article 8(1) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. It also addresses the transfer of personal data outside the EU and EEA areas. The GDPR's primary aim is to enhance individuals' control and rights over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business. Superseding the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC, the regulation contains provisions and requirements related to the processing of personal data of individuals (formally called data subjects in the GDPR) who are located in the EEA, and applies to any enterprise—regardless of its location and the data subjects' citizenship or residence—that is processing the personal information of individuals inside the EEA.
In short. If someone I've chatted with via TEAMS, request me to remove all personal data and communication between us. I am by European law required to do that.
If I don't or can't, and this person get knowledge about it. The company I work for will be held responsible and can be brought to court and sentenced.
This is something that Microsoft need to address, as it will come back to them in the end,.
- justinsiegardAug 26, 2022Copper ContributorTalk to your admin and ask them to do a search for information pertaining to the person and delete all relevant content in that situation. There's no way you as an end user could ensure you deleted every message pertaining to that particular user anyway. Additionally part of GDRP requires you provide evidence that you complied with the request. Again, if you just went through and deleted every chat you thought pertained to this person you also deleted your proof. You also aren't sure if your company retention policies held onto the data in the background.
- Leonardo_ButelliAug 29, 2022Copper Contributor
This is absurd.
I as the owner of the post/message want to have to possibility to delete what I have written.
Don't want to ask the and admin to delete and see what i have written.
Problem for me and my company don't exist anymore.
We don't use teams anymore for this reason.
- Aug 29, 2022Hello, obviously you have not read the entire conversation and are not familiar with the compliance tools available for Teams/M365. If the administrator allows it you can delete your own sent messages. Deletion of an entire chat thread as a user though is work in progress, but the organization/administrators can always delete all data.
- WuGeDeMar 24, 2022Copper ContributorAbsolutely.
- Feb 04, 2022Hi, you should have read the entire conversation. An admin can always delete all messages with the compliance tools. Owner of teams can delete conversations if allowed with policy, and users their own messages too if allowed. Deletion of entire chat threads for end-users is coming soon too.
- WuGeDeMar 24, 2022Copper ContributorLinks are always appreciated so I will add them:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/modules/compliance-in-m365/ - Taylormade58Feb 04, 2022Copper Contributor
ChristianJBergstrom The question was why can't "I" delete a chat. I know an admin can. Having old messages in the chat forever that you can't erase is like having email filling up you in box and is very annoying. I just continue to use Skype. Thanks
- Feb 04, 2022
You can delete old messages. Sounds like you need to talk with your Teams admin about enabling that possibility..
As for - chat threads - and not only deletion of specific chat messages for end users this was added 10 days ago in Teams feedback portal.
”Thank you for your votes and comments on this feature. The team is in the process of finalizing designs for deleting private chat threads. We will update as we have more progress to share.”