Disappearing messages are nowadays very common for most messaging apps like Snapchat, Instagram, Telegram. If you use Snapchat, you might be knowing this feature. You just send a message and it gets deleted after some time automatically.
This feature was first implemented in the Signal app which was created by one of the Co-founders of WhatsApp even before Snapchat. After that other apps followed the trend and now WhatsApp also recently added this feature to their app.
What are Disappearing Messages?
DIsappearing messages are just like the normal messages we sent to each other. The only difference is they will disappear automatically after some time being sent. Different apps have a different name for this feature but work the same.
For WhatsApp, You can send messages that disappear on WhatsApp by enabling disappearing messages. You’ll be able to opt to have messages disappear once 24hrs, 7 days, or 90 days. Once enabled, new messages sent within the chat can disappear once the time period you choose. The foremost recent choice controls new messages within the chat. Messages sent or received before disappearing messages are enabled won’t be affected.
Turn ON Disappearing Messages on WhatsApp
Either user will change disappearing messages in a private chat. Once enabled, new messages within the chat can disappear when the time period you have chosen on over.
Now let’s see how you can turn on this feature on WhatsApp. We will list down the steps for all the devices. Follow the step-by-step guide:
Android
- Open the WhatsApp app.
- Now open the individual chat and tap on the name or profile of that person.
- Scroll down a little and you’ll find the option “Disappearing Messages“.
- Tap on it. For the first time, you’ll see a pop-up showing when messages will vanish. Simply tap on “Continue“.
- Turn on the Message timer by tapping on the “24 hours“, “7 days“, or “90 days” option.
Now if you back to the chat, you’ll see a message “You turned on disappearing messages. All new messages will disappear from this chat after 7 days after they’re sent. Tap to change“. You can simply tap on this message to turn ON/OFF this message timer.
You can also set the default message time using the option just below the time durations. That will default all your chats for that duration.
iPhone
The same steps go here also.
- Open the WhatsApp app.
- Now open the individual chat and tap on the name or profile of that person.
- Scroll down a little and you’ll find the option “Disappearing Messages“.
- Tap on it. For the first time, you’ll see a pop-up showing when messages will vanish. Simply tap on “Continue“.
- Turn on the Message timer by tapping on tthe “24 hours“, “7 days“, or “90 days” option.
Web and Desktop
If you use WhatsApp Web on your laptop or Desktop. Follow the steps below:
- Go to WhastApp web.
- Once you are logged in to the WhatsApp web scanning the QR, you will the similar UI as in Android and iPhone.
- Now follow the steps above.
On WhastApp Groups
You can also enable this feature for the WhatsApp groups. The same applies here also. Just go to the group you wish to enable this and follow the same steps you followed above.
Send Disappearing Media (Photos and Videos) on WhatsApp
You can also use the same feature for the WhatsApp media files also. The photos and videos you sent when this is turned ON, these media files will be treated as a message only. Now, whenever you will send a photo or video in the chat, it will disappear after 7 days.
But there is one more dedicated feature for the media files. By using this you can allow the other person to see that file only once. Once viewed it will vanish just like Snapchat. To use this, follow the steps below:
- Open the WhatsApp chat.
- Now select any photo or video that you want to send.
- Here, before sending it, you will notice the 1 option with half plain circle and half dotted circle around it.
- Tap on that 1 option, it will propmt you with a message. Just tap OK.
- Once tapped, you’ll se a toat message “Photo/Video set to view once“.
- You’ll also notice, this 1 will turn from gray to green colour.
- Just hit the Send button.
Things to Remember
Here are the following things you need to keep in mind:
- This setting can be controlled by both the Sender and Receiver on the chat.
- While forwarding the disappearing message, it will only be applied if the user also enabled this feature on their device. Otherwise it will be delivered just like a normal message and won’t vanish.
- If a user uses the reply feature for the message, it will remain quoted and won’t get deleted from there even its time has expired.
- These messages also considered while taking chat backups. So even after backup is taken, after 7 days it will be deleted.
- The users can bypass this feature by taking screenshots or screen recording.
Turn OFF Disappearing Messages on WhatsApp
If you do not wish to use this feature after some time, you can turn OFF this feature, in the same manner, you enabled it. Follow the steps below:
- Open the WhatsApp chat.
- Tap on the contact’s name.
- Tap on “Disappearing messages“.
- Tap on “OFF” option.
Read More:
- How to Send Auto Reply to WhatsApp Messages
- Send Blank Text on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook
- How to Use Telegram Without Phone Number?
Conclusion
This is a very handy feature when you want to have a conversation with a person you will not be interacting with in the future. Or let us say you want to keep a conversation private so that it gets deleted after some time. Let us know your comments on the same how you are using this amazing feature.
