New WhatsApp disappearing messages feature now on beta version

WhatsApp has made important changes to the Disappearing Messages feature, allowing users to control how long messages will remain visible before they are automatically deleted. Users can also specify a default timer for all new chats.

WhatsApp has made important changes to the Disappearing Messages feature, allowing users to control how long messages will remain visible before they are automatically deleted. Users can also specify a default timer for all new chats. (WhatsApp)

WhatsApp has added two important new functionalities to the messaging service that are designed to improve the recently introduced Disappearing Messages feature, improving the privacy of its 2 billion monthly active user base. The Facebook-owned encrypted messaging service will allow users to better control these disappearing chats and allow them to set rules for all new chats as well.

The first change coming to the Disappearing Messages feature on WhatsApp is new options for the timer. Previously, users could either enable or disable disappearing messages. However, turning it on meant chats would disappear after 7 days. Popular feature leaker WABetaInfo has now spotted that WhatsApp is now making this timer customisable to better suit people who need specific timings – users can now choose between 24 hours, 7 days and 90 days and the messages and content will be retained and deleted accordingly.

The second improvement coming to WhatsApp beta is a default timer setting in the WhatsApp Privacy settings that will start all new chats with disappearing messages setting turned on by default. This means that users will not have to manually go to a chat's setting and manually turn the setting on – if they choose 90 days, every new chat will have the Disappearing Messages setting automatically enabled.

According to the leaker, the messaging service is currently testing the feature on the latest beta version of WhatsApp for iOS and WhatsApp for Business. Android users who are on the latest version of the Android beta cannot see these features yet, but WABetaInfo states that support for these devices is coming “very soon” In order to try out the latest beta testing version, users must head to TestFlight and check for beta testing slots if they want to try the latest beta version of the app and try these features on their iPhone right away.