WhatsApp shares more details about its disappearing messages feature

WhatsApp says that if disappearing messages are turned on, media sent in the chat will disappear, but will be saved on the phone if auto-download is on.

The company also revealed that once the feature has been enabled, new messages sent in individual or group chats will disappear after seven days of sending the message. (REUTERS)

WhatsApp has been said to be working on a new disappearing messages feature for a long time now. Now, in an update on its support page, WhatsApp has not only confirmed the existence of the feature but it has also divulged details about the upcoming feature.

For starters, the company has revealed that its disappearing messages feature will not only be available in its Android and iOS-based apps but also on KaiOS, WhatsApp Web and its desktop-based app.

The company also revealed that once the feature has been enabled, new messages sent in individual or group chats will disappear after seven days of sending the message. The setting, however, won't affect the messages that a user had either sent or received previously. Another interesting thing about this feature is that while in an individual chat, either user can turn disappearing messages on or off, however, in a group chat, only group admins can turn disappearing messages on or off.

As far as the availability of messages is concerned, WhatsApp says that if a user doesn't open WhatsApp in the seven day period, the message will disappear. However, the preview of the message might still be displayed in notifications until WhatsApp is opened. Also, when a user responds to a message, the initial message is quoted. If they reply to a disappearing message, the quoted text might remain in the chat after seven days.

The company also says that if a disappearing message is forwarded to a chat with disappearing messages off, the message won't disappear in the forwarded chat. And if a user creates a backup before a message disappears, the disappearing message will be included in the backup. However, disappearing messages will be deleted when a user restores from a backup.

Lastly, WhatsApp says that if disappearing messages are turned on, media sent in the chat will disappear, but will be saved on the phone if auto-download is on.