Messaging platform WhatsApp has released new helpful features that will improve the convenience of its users worldwide
The feature is out there for individuals also as group chats. However, in group chats, the group admins are going to be ready to enable disappearing messages.
The Disappearing Messages feature is now official and is been unrolled to its 2-billion plus users during this month.
The Facebook-owned company said the goal is “to make conversations on WhatsApp feel as close to in-person as possible, which means they shouldn’t have to stick around forever”.
“That’s why we’re excited to introduce the choice to use disappearing messages on WhatsApp. When the ‘disappearing messages’ feature is turned on, new messages sent to a talk will disappear after 7 days, helping the conversation feel lighter and more private,” it said in a statement.
Taking to Twitter, WhatsApp announced the launch of the feature by saying, “Because not all messages got to stick around forever.”
Introducing disappearing messages. Now you’ll set chats to disappear after 7 days. Because not all messages need to stick around forever.
“We’re starting with seven days because we think it offers peace of mind that conversations aren’t permanent while remaining practical so you don’t forget what you were chatting about. The shopping list or store address you received a couple of days ago are going to be there while you would like it, then disappear after you do not,” it explained.
The Disappearing Messages feature is going to be available on all WhatsApp-supported devices including Android, iOS, and Linux-based KaiOS devices, alongside WhatsApp Web and Desktop platforms, by the top of this month.
Earlier, WhatsApp, on its FAQ page, had also a full lowdown on how the ‘Disappearing Messages’ will work once enabled.
How WhatsApp new Disappearing Features works:
As mentioned, once the Disappearing Messages feature is enabled, new messages sent within the individual or group chat will disappear after seven days.
-The most up-to-date selection controls all messages within the chat. “This setting won’t affect messages you previously sent or received within the chat,” WhatsApp said on its support page.
-Disappearing messages will also wipe out photos and videos after seven days, and while messages will disappear for both parties it’s still possible to take screenshots or just simply copy messages before they are automatically deleted. Or, you can also save the photos or other content with auto-download on. You can turn auto-download off in WhatsApp Settings > Data and Storage Usage.
-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 within the chat after seven days.
-If a disappearing message is forwarded to a talk with disappearing messages off, the message won’t disappear within the forwarded chat.
-If a user creates a backup before a message disappears, the disappearing message is going to be included within the backup. Disappearing messages will be deleted when a user restores from a backup.
How to enable or disable WhatsApp Disappearing messages feature:
How to switch on the Disappearing Messages feature:
Open the WhatsApp chat.
Tap the contact’s name.
Tap Disappearing messages.
If prompted, tap CONTINUE.
Select On.
How to switch off the Disappearing Messages feature:
Once disabled, messages sent in the chat will no longer disappear.
Open the WhatsApp chat.
Tap the contact’s name.
Tap Disappearing messages.
If prompted, tap CONTINUE.
Select Off.
An important thing to note here is that once the Disappearing Messages feature is on, there, however, is no option of customizing the time frame after which the messages will be deleted.
