How to delete a message on Xiaomi: 7 proven ways (2026)

Deleting messages on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones only seems to be a simple task – in practice, users are faced with the nuances of the MIUI interface, hidden settings and limitations of messengers. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to delete SMS, notifications from the curtain, messages in Mi Messages and third-party applications (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber), and also tell you how to irrevocably erase data so that it can not be restored even through backups.

It's important to understand that the method of deleting depends on the type of message. For example, SMS is stored in the system application of Messages, and notifications from messengers are stored in the memory of a particular chat. We analyzed the performance of functions on the latest versions of MIUI 14/15 (including global and Chinese firmware) and identified key differences for different scenarios. If you are looking for a way to erase one particular message or clear all correspondence, here you will find a solution with explanations and warnings about possible consequences.

1. Delete SMS and MMS in the standard Messages app

Xiaomi's Messages (or Mi Messages) system app allows you to delete messages in single or bundles, but there are pitfalls: for example, when you delete a mass, you can accidentally erase important SMS from banks or services. Let's take a step-by-step instruction with the latest updates MIUI.

To delete one message:

1. Open the Messages app (the envelope icon on the home screen).
2. Choose a dialogue with the right contact.
3. Press and hold your finger on the message you want to delete.
4. In the upper panel will appear the icon of the basket - tap it.
5. Confirm the action in the pop-up window.

For mass removal:

• 📌 Go to All Communications (or Dialogues) section.
• 🔍 Press three dots in the upper right corner → Control (or Select).
• 🗑️ Tick the unneeded dialogs and click Delete.
• ⚠️ MIUI 15 adds the Remove Everything feature, which erases the entire history without the possibility of recovery.

⚠️ Warning: If you use Google Messages instead of the standard app, the path will be different: Settings → Archive and Delete → Delete Messages. In this case, SMS syncs with your Google account and can be saved to the cloud even after you delete it on your device.

2. How to remove notifications from the curtain (including hidden)

Notifications from messengers and SMS often stay in the notification panel even after reading, and can be deleted one at a time or cleaned (all at once), but MIUI has a hidden mechanism, a notification log, which stores all the notifications from the last 24 hours, and let's figure out how to manage this partition.

Standard disposal:

• 📱 Swipe your finger down from the top edge of the screen to open the curtain.
• 🚫 Press the cross to the right of the notification or swipe it left/right.
• 🧹 To clear all notifications, tap the Clean (broom) icon at the bottom of the curtain.

Removal from the notification log (hidden section):

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top corner → Special access.
3. Select the Notification Log (or the Notification History in the new versions).
4. Activate the slider if the function is disabled.
5. Return to Settings → Notifications and Status bar → Notification log where you can manually delete entries.

💡

If notifications from a particular app (such as WhatsApp) are not deleted, check the settings of that app. Some messengers have the option "Save Notifications" in the Settings → Notifications section.

3. Delete messages on WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber

The Xiaomi messengers are different, for example, WhatsApp can delete a message for everyone (within 2 days), and Telegram can delete a message for yourself or with a self-destruct timer. Below are the current instructions for each application, taking into account the latest updates from 2026.

WhatsApp:

• 💬 Press and hold the message → select Delete.
• 🔄 To erase for all: select Delete for all (runs for 48 hours).
• 🗑️ For mass removal: open chat → three dots → More → Clear chat.

Telegram:

• 🕒 Click on message → Delete → Select Also for [contact name] (if you need to erase from both).
• ⏳ In secret chats, messages are deleted automatically by timer (configured when you create a chat).
• 🧨 For complete cleanup: Settings → Data and memory → Clear cache.

Viber:

• 📝 Click on message → Delete → Select Delete for All (works 10 minutes).
• 🔍 To erase all correspondence: Open chat → three dots → Clear history.

4. irrevocable deletion: how to erase messages forever

Normally deleting messages in MIUI does not guarantee that data will disappear forever.The system can back up to Mi Cloud, and SMS database files (mmssms.db) remain in the device's memory until overwriting. If you need to be guaranteed to delete messages without recovery, follow this algorithm:

Step 1: Turn off your sync with the cloud:

Settings → Accounts → Mi Cloud → Messages → Disable synchronization

Step 2: Clear the Messages app cache:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Messages → Memory → Clear the cache

Step 3: Use the Safe Delete feature (available on Xiaomi with MIUI 14+):

• 🔒 Go to Settings → Memory → Cleanup → Deep Cleanup.
• 📱 Select Messages and confirm deletion.

Step 4 (optional): To completely erase data without recovery, reset to factory settings by backing up important files beforehand, which is true if you are selling or transferring the device to another user.

⚠️ Warning: Even after a reset, data can be recovered using specialized software (such as Dr.Fone or EaseUS MobiSaver). For full protection, it is recommended to encrypt the device before reset: Settings → Additional → Encryption and credentials → Encrypt the phone.

5. Recovery of accidentally deleted messages

If you delete an important message by mistake, you can try to restore it. Success depends on how long ago the removal was and whether sync with the cloud is enabled. Let's look at all the ways available for Xiaomi.

Method 1: Recovery from Mi Cloud

• 🌥️ Make sure that sync has been enabled: Settings → Mi Cloud → Messages.
• 🔄 Go to Settings → About Phone → Backup and Reset → Restore from Mi Cloud.
• 📅 Select a backup with the desired date (before deleting messages).

Method 2: Using third-party utilities

If you don't have a backup, you can try software like GT Recovery or Undeleter, but they require root rights and don't work on all Xiaomi models.

1. Install a utility from Google Play (e.g. SMS Backup & Restore).
2. Connect your phone to your PC and start the scan.
3. Select the messages found and restore them.

Method 3: Contacting the Communications Operator

Some operators (such as MTS or Beeline) store the SMS history for up to 30 days to request a recovery:

• 📞 Call in support of the operator (the number is usually listed on the official website).
• 📝 Please provide passport details and telephone number.
• ⏳ Wait for a response — recovery can take up to 5 business days.

Check the synchronization enabled with Mi Cloud

Make sure there is enough memory on the phone

Disable automatic update of applications

Create a backup of current data-->

6. Set up automatic message deletion

To avoid manual cleaning, MIUI and third-party messengers can set up automatic deletion of old messages, which is especially useful for saving memory and protecting privacy, and let's take a look at the settings for different cases.

Autocleaning in the standard application "Messages":

• 📊 Go to Messages → Settings (three dots) → Autoclean.
• 🗓️ Select the retention period (e.g., Delete messages older than 30 days).
• ✅ Activate the slider Enable auto-clean.

Automatic removal on WhatsApp:

• 🔄 Open chat → contact name → disappearing messages.
• ⏳ Select the time (24 hours, 7 days or 90 days).
• 🔒 Confirm the function to be enabled.

Setup on Telegram:

• 🕵️ For regular chats: click on the contact name → Clear history → Enable auto-delete.
• 🔐 For secret chats: When creating, select a self-destruct timer (1 second to 1 week).

Limitation of storage of notifications:

MIUI 15 has a feature to limit the notification history:

Settings → Notifications and Status String → Notification Log → Restrict Storage

💡

Automatic deletion of messages reduces the risk of data leakage, but can lead to the loss of important information.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When you delete messages on Xiaomi, users often face typical problems, from the lack of an delete button to the inability to erase SMS from banks, we collected the most common errors and ways to solve them.

⚠️ Warning: If you use dual applications (cloning messengers via Settings → Applications → Dual applications), delete messages in both instances, otherwise the data can be restored during synchronization.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions