Whatsapp, the most widely used messaging app across the world, is receiving a new feature that might change the way you converse with people on the messaging app, a few days after announcing that it was testing the feature. In the upcoming updates, Whatsapp will now feature ‘Disappearing Messages’ which will delete messages 7 days after it has been sent.
“Our 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 option to use disappearing messages on WhatsApp,” the company said.
Users can enable the feature on an individual or group chat. However, on group chats, only the admin has the power to enable disappearing messages. Once it has been enabled, all the new messages sent to an individual or a group chat will disappear after 7 days. Also, the messages sent before enabling ‘disappearing messages’ on a chat will not be affected.
Moreover, if a user does not open the conversation for seven days, the message will still disappear, but the preview of that message will not vanish from the notification until the Whatsapp app is opened. If you are replying to a disappearing text, then the quoted text will still appear after 7 days.
Media files sent on a chat will disappear from the conversation if ‘disappearing messages’ is turned on, however, they will be stored on the device if auto-download has been enabled. Users can also take a backup of the disappearing messages by forwarding it to another chat where the setting is disabled, or by backing it up on Whatsapp itself.
Whatsapp says this feature will enable users to converse with people on Whatsapp like the way they do in person. Disappearing messages will give a sense of comfort and freedom to users to talk to anyone, knowing the messages will disappear in the future. “We’re 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,” said Whatsapp.
The company said that the new feature will be rolled out to every user across the globe this month.
