Home > Business > Tech

Drunk exes, rejoice: You can now delete KakaoTalk messages for 24 hours

Published: 12 Aug. 2025, 19:04 Updated: 12 Aug. 2025, 19:41

YOON SO-YEON
[email protected]

The KakaoTalk messaging app [YONHAP]

Sent a text last night to your ex and regretted it? Don't worry: Kakao's got you covered.

Kakao announced that it will update its KakaoTalk messaging app to allow users to unsend their messages within 24 hours of sending the message, a substantial expansion from the current five-minute time frame.

Currently, if a user does not unsend a message — hiding its content from its recipient — within five minutes, they can only delete that message from their own device; its recipient can still access it. Participants will still only be able to delete messages they receive locally.

After the update rolls out, unsending a message will only send the recipient a “This message has been deleted” notification without showing which participant deleted the message.

“We are working to make our service more free and safe for the users,” said a Kakao spokesperson. “We will actively reflect the needs of the users in order to create a more active communication environment.”

The rollout, which began today, will hit desktops first before expanding to smartphones, Kakao said.

BY YOON SO-YEON [[email protected]]