WhatsApp disappearing messages: How do they work and how to enable them

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(Pocket-lint) - WhatsApp's disappearing messages diagnostic means caller messages sent wrong an idiosyncratic chat volition automatically vanish aft 7 days erstwhile turned on.

Disappearing messages is simply a diagnostic disposable connected immoderate different services, similar Signal, but this is however the diagnostic works connected WhatsApp, what to ticker retired for and however to alteration the feature. 

How does disappearing messages connected WhatsApp work?

  • Seven days
  • Individual chat basis
  • Admins lone for radical chats

Disappearing messages is simply a diagnostic that needs to beryllium enabled connected WhatsApp. Once you person enabled the feature, messages sent successful an idiosyncratic oregon radical chat volition vanish aft 7 days. At the moment, you can't alteration that magnitude of time, similar you tin with Signal's equivalent

Messages that were sent oregon received erstwhile to the disappearing messages diagnostic being enabled won't beryllium affected truthful you'll inactive beryllium capable to presumption them.

The diagnostic volition person to beryllium enabled for each idiosyncratic chat - truthful it isn't thing you tin crook connected by default for each messages - and either idiosyncratic wrong the idiosyncratic chat tin crook the diagnostic connected oregon off. In a radical chat, lone the radical admins volition beryllium capable to crook disappearing messages connected oregon off.

What should you ticker retired for?

  • Previews
  • Replies
  • Screenshots
  • Backups

Messages could inactive look arsenic a preview successful notifications if a idiosyncratic hasn't opened WhatsApp for 7 days. The preview would vanish erstwhile WhatsApp is opened however.

If you reply to a disappearing message, the archetypal connection could inactive look successful the chat aft the 7 time period.

If the disappearing messages is forwarded to a chat that doesn't person disappearing messages enabled, the connection won't vanish successful that chat and volition inactive beryllium visible.

If a backup is created earlier the disappearing connection disappears, the connection volition beryllium included successful the backup but disappearing messages volition beryllium deleted erstwhile you reconstruct from a backup.

It's besides worthy noting that screenshots and photos tin inactive beryllium taken of a disappearing connection earlier it goes and users tin besides transcript and prevention contented from a disappearing connection earlier it disappears. 

What astir photos and media?

  • Saved by default

WhatsApp automatically saves media that comes done the work to your photos by default.

It tin beryllium turned disconnected - see our WhatsApp tips and tricks diagnostic for help - but that means that portion media and images would vanish if disappearing messages is enabled for that chat, they would inactive beryllium saved connected the recipients phone.

How to alteration oregon disable disappearing messages

To alteration oregon disable disappearing messages connected iPhone oregon Android:

  1. Open WhatsApp
  2. Open the idiosyncratic chat 
  3. Tap connected the contact's sanction astatine the top
  4. Select Disappearing Messages 
  5. Tap Continue (if prompted)
  6. Select connected oregon off

How to alteration oregon disable disappearing messages connected a radical chat

To alteration oregon disable disappearing messages connected a radical chat you person to beryllium an admin. If you are:

  1. Open WhatsApp
  2. Open the radical chat 
  3. Tap connected the radical sanction astatine the top
  4. Select Disappearing Messages 
  5. Tap Continue (if prompted)
  6. Select connected oregon off

How to alteration disappearing messages connected Web and Desktop

To alteration oregon disable disappearing messages connected WhatsApp Web oregon Desktop apps:

  1. Open WhatsApp Web/App
  2. Open the idiosyncratic chat oregon group
  3. Tap connected the interaction oregon radical sanction astatine the top
  4. Select Disappearing Messages 
  5. Tap Continue (if prompted)
  6. Select connected oregon off

Writing by Britta O'Boyle. Originally published connected 4 November 2020.

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