## Editing past messages
Note: Editing topic titles is discussed in a [separate guide](/help/change-the-topic-of-a-message). Additionally, Zulip messages cannot be deleted, but they can be edited so that their contents are blank.
Zulip allows you to easily edit the content of your messages after they have been posted.
You can do this by hovering your mouse over the message and:
* Clicking on the pencil icon ![pencil](/static/images/help/pencil.png) at the end of the message.
* Clicking on the down-chevron ![down chevron](/static/images/help/down_chevron.png) near the upper right corner
of the message.
Clicking either one of those icons will give you editing options.
### Time Limit
Depending on your organization settings, Zulip may be configured with a time limit within which you may edit a message,
e.g. 10 minutes. As soon as that limit has passed, the little pencil
![pencil](/static/images/help/pencil.png) changes to a file icon
. Depending on the configuration, clicking on it might allow you
to change the topic, like shown in this message:
### Deleting Messages
You cannot entirely delete a message. When you remove all the text of a message and save it,
Zulip will automatically insert a "(deleted)" into your message.
The fact that there was once a message there will still be
evident, and the time stamp of the original posting date and time
will still be shown.
### Editing Visibility
After you have edited a message, `(EDITED)` appears over the
message and to the right of your name. It is visible to everyone.