Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Telegram – that’s the growing list of apps that are allowing users to send expiring or disappearing messages. The latest app to join is none other than WhatsApp. After what seems like an eternity behind other apps, it seems like the feature is now coming to WhatsApp.
Evidence first popped up in March showing options which allow users to send messages with an optional expiration time for the platform. If a user enables the feature, all message that sent individually or in groups will be automatically erased after seven days. Users can configure the setting for individual chat while only group admin able to turn on the feature for group chats.
The feature seems to also work with with media files. However, the media file will not disappear if the user turn on the auto download for receiving any files. This may be one of the more convenient implementations of the feature as not everyone wants media to be downloaded to their phones.
WhatsApp has recently updated their FAQs to include a new answer regarding the new feature. In their response about the feature they clarify, ” Once enabled, messages sent in the individual or group chat will disappear after seven days. The most recent selection controls all messages in the chat. 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.”
With the FAQ is live on the WhatsApp website, it seems like the feature will be making its way to users in the coming weeks. The features will be available to users on Android, iOS and KaiOS.
WhatsApp has also published tutorials for enabling and disabling the features on their website.
