WhatsApp Delete For All feature gets major update; Heres what Recipient Limit change means

WhatsApp has updated the Recipient Limit. In a tweet, WABetaInfo said that this update means that when you try to delete a message for everyone and the recipient doesn't get the revoke request within 13 hours 8 minute and 16 seconds, then the message will not be revoked. This can happen when the recipient's phone is switched off. The latest update is being seen as a protection against modded users (those who use modified version of the app) who used to revoke messages sent months, weeks or years ago. 

"WhatsApp has updated the "Recipient limit". What does it mean? If you delete a message for everyone, but the recipient won't receive the revoke request within 13h, 8m, 16s (maybe because the phone was off), the message will **not** be revoked. This is a protection against modded users that revoked messages sent weeks, months and years ago," tweeted WABetaInfo. 

"You can still delete a message for everyone within 1h, 8m, 16s as long as the recipient will receive your revoke request within 13h, 8m, 16s," it added. 

Explanation:

Say, A sends a message to B and tries to delete it later (within 1 hour, 8 minute and 16 seconds). The message will be deleted only when B gets the revoke request within 13 hours, 8 minute and 16 seconds. If B's phone is switched off in the stipulated time and he switches on the phone later, the message would not be revoked. 

In March this year, WhatsApp had introduced 'Block revoke request' feature to curb misuse of 'Delete for All' option. WABetaInfo had then said that the 'Block revoke request' feature worked in the background of the then new beta version of the app to stop users with modded version of the app from deleting sent messages long after the deadline. The feature worked by checking the ID for a saved message on the database when a request to delete a message was received. Only the message sent in the last 24 hours was deleted. This meant, no one could delete messages older than 24 hours while using a modified version of the app. 

The app checked whether the message was sent in the last 24 hours as the sender could try to delete a message for everyone but the recipient's phone might be turned off. If the receiver switched on their phone after 24 hours, the revoke request was invalidated and the message could not be deleted. This time is now reduced to 13 hours, 8 minute and 16 seconds.