Facebook has launched a new disappearing messages feature for all WhatsApp users on iOS and Android. What is this
Disappearing WhatsApp Messages
Users can use the new functionfor direct messages that they exchange in a dialogue. Or you can use it in a group chat as an administrator. The seven-day limit exists regardless of whether the recipient reads the message or not. The timer starts automatically from the moment the message is sent.
Facebook also hinted that it could potentially offer a wider range of time limits in the future:
We will be monitoring feedback on how peopleuse a new feature and what they like, and see if it needs to be adjusted in the future,” — a Facebook spokesperson said. For now, we're starting with seven days because it seems like it's a good balance between the usefulness needed for global text conversations and the feeling that things won't stay in the app forever.
It is also reported that the implementation of this feature was previously delayed due to the need for end-to-end encryption:
[End-to-end encryption] was partly the reasonthat it took us so long to implement this feature is because we wanted to maintain the experience that WhatsApp users have come to expect and love, — noted the representative.
There are also indications that Facebook maytry to migrate this feature to their Messenger app, where it will be hosted in addition to the pre-existing "secret" messaging feature, which allows the sender to control how long the message remains in a separate feed. ... This seems increasingly likely given Facebook's long-term plan to merge the Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp chat platforms.
Earlier this week, WhatsApp developers startedalso introduce a new and improved way to manage storage in the app, helping users identify, select, and bulk delete GIFs, photos, and videos that their device might populate.
As with recent store changes, the new disappearing messages feature is disabled by default. If you want to actively use it, enable it in the settings.