How to Delete Messages in Zoom Meeting Chat
Learn how to delete chat messages in a Zoom meeting, what meeting hosts can remove, and what limits apply to in-meeting chat history.
Before you start
In-meeting chat is controlled by the meeting host or co-host settings. The ability to delete messages depends on the host's chat settings for the current meeting. Check whether the meeting host has enabled chat and allowed participants to send messages. If chat is disabled, no one can post or delete in-meeting messages.
The action is local to the meeting session in the Zoom client. Chat history may also be saved by the host or account administrator depending on the meeting configuration, but deleting a message during the meeting does not necessarily remove a saved copy outside the live chat.
Step-by-step instructions
As a host or co-host, you can delete an individual chat message sent during the meeting. The exact location of the command can differ by Zoom client version and platform.
- Open the in-meeting chat panel while the meeting is running.
- Find the message you want to remove.
- Hover over or select the message to reveal available actions.
- Choose the delete option if it is shown for your role.
- Confirm the deletion when Zoom asks for confirmation.
Participants usually cannot delete other people's messages. A participant may be able to delete only their own sent message if the host has allowed that, but this is not guaranteed in every version or meeting configuration.
Check the output
After confirming, the message should disappear from the visible chat panel for people in the meeting. If the host has enabled saving of meeting chat, saved records may reflect the chat as it was at the time of saving. Zoom does not provide a built-in undo for a deleted in-meeting message, so treat deletion as irreversible in the live meeting view.
Common problems and next steps
If you do not see a delete option, you may not have the required host or co-host role, or your Zoom client version may not show the command in the same place. Update the Zoom desktop or mobile client and check the host controls again.
If the message reappears for new participants, it may be part of host-saved chat or a recording rather than the live chat view. Check the meeting host's chat saving and recording settings separately. For saved files, locate the saved chat file in the location configured by the host or account administrator.