zulip/templates/zerver/help/edit-or-delete-a-message.md

# Edit or delete a message

!!! warn ""
    **Note:** Editing message topic is discussed in a
    [separate guide](/help/change-the-topic-of-a-message).

By default, Zulip allows you to edit the content of your messages within 10
minutes of when you send them. Organization administrators can
[change the time limit](/help/configure-message-editing-and-deletion),
remove the time limit, or remove the ability to edit messages entirely.

Administrators can delete other users' messages, but can never edit the
content.

## Edit a message

{start_tabs}

{!message-actions.md!}

1. Click the pencil (<i class="fa fa-pencil"></i>) icon.

1. Edit the message, and click **Save**.

{end_tabs}

!!! warn ""
    **Note:** After you have edited a message, the message is publicly marked as
    `(EDITED)`. You can [view](/help/view-a-messages-edit-history) a message's
    edit history, assuming that feature has not been
    [disabled by an organization administrator](/help/disable-message-edit-history).

If you don't see the pencil (<i class="fa fa-pencil"></i>) icon, the message content
can no longer be edited. You should see a file (<i class="fa fa-file-text-o"></i>)
icon instead. Clicking the file icon will allow you to view the
[Markdown source](/help/view-the-markdown-source-of-a-message) of the message, or
[edit the topic](/help/change-the-topic-of-a-message).

## Delete a message

Deleting the content of a message will cause the message to be displayed as
`(deleted)`.  The original sender and timestamp of the message will still be
displayed, and the original content of the message is still accessible via
Zulip's edit history feature.  This can be the least confusing option for
other users.

### Delete a message completely

For cases where someone accidentally shared secret information publicly
(e.g. you posted an employee's salary), it can make sense to delete a
message completely.

By default, only administrators can delete messages, though this can be
[configured](/help/configure-message-editing-and-deletion) by an organization
administrator.

{start_tabs}

{!message-actions-menu.md!}

1. Select **Delete message**.

{end_tabs}

If you don't see the **Delete message** option, it means you don't have
permissions to delete that message.

It's important to understand that anyone who received the message before you
deleted it could have made a copy of its content. Even if no one is online
when you send the message, users may have received the message via email or
mobile notifications. So if you accidentally shared secret information that
you can change, like a password, you may want to change that password
regardless of whether you also delete the message.