Restrict message editing and deletion

This feature is only available to organization owners and administrators.

Zulip lets you separately configure permissions for editing and deleting messages, and you can set time limits for both actions. Regardless of the configuration you select:

  • Message content can only ever be modified by the original author.
  • Any message can be deleted at any time by an organization administrator.

Note that if a user can edit a message, they can also "delete" it by removing all the message content. This is different from proper message deletion in two ways: the original content will still show up in message edit history, and will be included in data exports. Deletion permanently (and irretrievably) removes the message from Zulip.

Configure message editing permissions

Users can only edit their own messages.

  1. Click on the gear () icon in the upper right corner of the web or desktop app.

  2. Select Organization settings.

  3. On the left, click Organization permissions.

  4. Under Message editing:

    • Toggle Allow message editing.
    • Configure Time limit for editing messages.
  5. Click Save changes.

Configure message deletion permissions

Administrators can always delete any message.

  1. Click on the gear () icon in the upper right corner of the web or desktop app.

  2. Select Organization settings.

  3. On the left, click Organization permissions.

  4. Under Message deletion:

    • Configure Who can delete their own messages.
    • Configure Time limit for deleting messages.
  5. Click Save changes.

A user can delete messages sent by bots that they own just like messages they sent themself.