WhatsApp is giving users more control over its disappearing messages feature. Meta-owned WhatsApp says that users will now have the option to turn on disappearing messages automatically for all their new one-on-one chats. Once set, all future messages in these WhatsApp chats will be automatically deleted.
“WhatsApp users will now have the option to turn on disappearing messages by default for all new chats. When enabled, all new one-on-one chats you or another person start will be set to disappear at your chosen duration, and we’ve added a new option when creating a group chat that lets you turn it on for groups you create.”
For those unaware, WhatsApp launched the disappearing messages feature in November last year, offering users 7 days duration. The company is now adding two new durations for disappearing messages: 24 hours and 90 days. The existing option of 7 days remains. For users who choose to switch on the default disappearing messages feature, there will be a message displayed in their chats that tells people that this is the default they have chosen.
In case, these users want a particular conversation to remain permanent, they can remove the disappearing chat option for that particular chat. The new default setting doesn’t affect group chats, WhatsApp says that it has added a new option when creating groups to let users enable the disappearing messages feature.
Disappearing messages feature: All you need to know
WhatsApp has clarified that the feature is optional and does not change or delete any of your existing chats. Disappearing messages settings also won’t affect messages that users previously sent or received in the chat. In an individual chat, either users 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.
