How to Delete a WhatsApp Group

Group chats in WhatsApp are a great way to collaborate with co-workers or shoot the breeze with family and friends, keeping the entire conversation organized on one screen. If you're the administrator of a WhatsApp group, you can delete that chat completely. If you're a member, you can exit the group and then delete the WhatApp group chat from your app.

This article's information applies to the WhatsApp app for iOS and Android.

How to Delete a WhatsApp Group as an Administrator

If you created a WhatsApp group chat, it's easy to delete the chat completely.

As an admin, you must first remove each member before the group can be deleted.

1. Open WhatsApp and select the subject name of the group you wish to delete.

2. Tap the name of the group at the top of the screen.

3. The Group Info screen displays. Scroll down to the Participants section and tap the name of the first person you wish to remove.

4. A slide-out menu appears from the bottom of the screen. Tap Remove from Group.

   

5. You're asked to confirm the removal of this member. Tap Remove.

6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for each member of the group other than yourself.

7. Tap Exit Group, located at the bottom of the Group Info screen.

8. Tap Exit Group again when the confirmation question appears.

   

9. A message displays at the top of the screen, indicating you're no longer a participant in this group. Tap Delete Group, located at the bottom of the screen.

10. Tap Delete Group again when the confirmation question appears. Your WhatsApp group is deleted.

    

How to Exit and Delete a WhatsApp Group as a Member

You'll need to exit a group chat before you can delete it from your chat list.

When a member exits a group chat, they won't see any new messages. However, they can read the chat history and will see the chat on their list until it's deleted.

1. Open WhatsApp and tap the subject name of the group you wish to delete.

2. Tap the name of the group at the top of the screen.

3. The Group Info screen displays. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap Exit Group.

4. Tap Exit Group again when the confirmation question appears.

   Alternatively, tap Mute Instead to mute the group and not be alerted to new messages.

   

5. You'll see a message that you're no longer a participant in this group. When you go to your chat list, you'll see the group chat, but it will say You left.

   

6. Swipe left on the chat and tap Archive to archive the chat.

   

7. To remove the chat from your list, tap More > Delete Group, and then tap Delete Group again to confirm. The group chat will no longer appear in your list.

   

How to Clear a WhatsApp Group Chat

You don't have to delete a group to clear its chat history, allowing you to wipe out any previous discussions while remaining an active member.

1. Open WhatsApp and tap the subject name of the group you wish to clear.

2. Tap the name of the group at the top of the screen.

3. The Group Info screen displays. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and tap Clear Chat.

   To make a backup of your group chat log prior to erasing it, tap Export Chat, then follow the on-screen prompts.

   

4. Select Delete all messages to clear the entire chat log up until this point.

   If you have starred messages, you also get the option to Delete all except starred.