WhatsApp users can now enable new functionality to disappearing messages

Warning:

This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on his Facebook profile that WhatsApp is adding a new functionality to its disappearing messages feature.

In the post, Zuckerberg said that the Meta-owned app will now let users turn on disappearing messages automatically for all new one-on-one chats. This means that all future messages will automatically be deleted from the chat but existing chats will not be affected.

The disappearing messages feature was launched earlier this year but only allowed users to set messages to disappear after seven days. Now, users can choose to have messages automatically deleted after 24 hours, or 90 days.

Disappearing messages is an optional feature you can turn on for more privacy.

See below as posted on their official website :

When you enable Disappearing Messages, you can set messages to disappear 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days after the time they are sent. The most recent selection only controls new 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, any group participants can turn disappearing messages on or off. However, a group admin can change group settings to allow only admins to turn disappearing messages on or off.

• If a user doesn’t open WhatsApp in the 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 day period, the message will disappear from the chat. 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 the duration you select.
• 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.