# Managing messages on the server

**URL:** <https://support.delta.chat/t/managing-messages-on-the-server/1614>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [April 5, 2021, 3:56am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/managing-messages-on-the-server/1614 "2021-04-05T03:56:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MasterOne](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/masterone/32/1281_2.png) [@MasterOne](https://support.delta.chat/u/MasterOne)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2021, 3:56am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/managing-messages-on-the-server/1614/1 "2021-04-05T03:56:30Z")

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I’m not sure what the typical procedure of handling messages on the server should look like.

In `Settings >> Chat and media` there are two options for deleting old messages:

- `Delete messages from device` (After 1 hour / day / week / month / year, default `Never`)
- `Delete messages from server` (At once, After 1 hour / day / week / month / year, default `Never`)

Wouldn’t it make sense to have that options on a per chat bases as well or instead?

Because if I try to delete a chat (with the three dots offering a `Select all` option), the message says:

> Delete 1 chat? It will no longer be shown in the chat list, its messages will remain on the server.

If I try to delete a message (and there is no `Select all` option), the message says:

> Delete 1 message here and on the server?

So it’s not possible to simply delete all messages of an individual chat on the server, except to select each individual message before clicking the `Trash` icon?

I’m mainly asking because I was thinking of using a chat for receiving status messages from a server, but it doesn’t make sense to keep that messages around, and it would be cumbersome always having to delete them manually.

Another observation:

Even if I delete all messages from a chat, the following messages remain on the server:

- The message display confirmations (“Message opened”).
- The “Secure-Join” messages (vc-request-with-auth / vc-contact-confirm / vc-contact-confirm-received).

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![MasterOne](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/masterone/32/1281_2.png) [@MasterOne](https://support.delta.chat/u/MasterOne)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 7:10am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/managing-messages-on-the-server/1614/2 "2021-04-07T07:10:30Z")

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Since I’m using a dedicated email account for Delta Chat now, this is only about avoiding unnecessary cruft without having to log into that IMAP account for maintenance.

I guess `Disappearing messages` can be used for the mentioned use with a chat that is just receiving server status updates?

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**Author:** ![Hocuri](https://support.delta.chat/user_avatar/support.delta.chat/hocuri/32/25_2.png) [@Hocuri](https://support.delta.chat/u/Hocuri)\
**Post date:** [April 7, 2021, 10:52am UTC](https://support.delta.chat/t/managing-messages-on-the-server/1614/3 "2021-04-07T10:52:42Z")

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> [@MasterOne](#):
>
> I guess `Disappearing messages` can be used for the mentioned use with a chat that is just receiving server status updates?

Yes. It obviously can’t be used to automatically delete old messages though, only ones that were received after setting the “Disappearing messages” timer.