Whatsapp Launches New Disappearing Messages Feature

WhatsApp is rolling out two new features this November. The first one is the disappearing feature, which can automatically delete any conversation after seven days. It is similar to Snapchat’s disappearing feature, which deletes chats after reading or after one day. WhatsApp is taking it one step further to seven days, which can be practical, as you do not always get the context of a text while chatting if the messages get deleted instantly.

“We are starting with 7 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 few days ago will be there while you need it, and then disappear after you don’t,” said a WhatsApp spokesperson.

You have to manually activate this feature in individual chats, while group admins can enable disappearing messages in group chats. The disappearing messages will also delete any media file, like photos, audio, video, etc. sent over the conversation. The same cannot be recovered even from cloud backup. The only option is that you have to export the chats and media elsewhere.

The feature will work even if, in a chat, one of the parties activates it. Both parties don’t need to activate the disappearing feature for it to work. However, the old messages won’t get affected and will remain as it is. WhatsApp has promised that all the users across the world will get the feature by November.

Apart from that, WhatsApp is also pushing an update, which makes WhatsApp media management more effortless. You can go to individual chats and groups to delete the media files and manage storage more intuitively. Both updates are in the phased rollout and will reach all the users by the month-end.