WhatsApp Details Upcoming New ‘Disappearing Messages’ Feature

As spotted by the folks over at WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has today shared some details about an upcoming new ‘Disappearing Messages’ feature, which will soon be available on WhatsApp for iOS, Android, and Web / Desktop.

While the feature is not yet available, WhatsApp says it will allow users to send messages that disappear automatically. Once you enable the ‘Disappearing Messages’ feature, all new messages sent in the individual or group chat will disappear after seven days. The most recent selection controls all messages in the chat.

WhatsApp says this setting won’t affect messages you previously sent or received in the chat. In an individual chat, either user can turn disappearing messages on or off. In a group chat, only group admins can turn disappearing messages on or off.

Here are some tips from WhatsApp on how to use the feature.

• If a user doesn’t open WhatsApp in the seven day period, the message will disappear. However, the preview of the message might still be displayed in notifications until WhatsApp is opened.
• When you reply to a message, the initial message is quoted. If you reply to a disappearing message, the quoted text might remain in the chat after seven days.
• If a disappearing message is forwarded to a chat with disappearing messages off, the message won’t disappear in the forwarded chat.
• If a user creates a backup before a message disappears, the disappearing message will be included in the backup. Disappearing messages will be deleted when a user restores from a backup.

Note: Only use disappearing messages with trusted individuals. For example, it’s possible for someone to:

• Forward or take a screenshot of a disappearing message and save it before it disappears.
• Copy and save content from the disappearing message before it disappears.
• Take a photo of a disappearing message with a camera or other device before it disappears.

To learn more about enabling or disabling the feature once it becomes available, visit this link.