WhatsApp announces Disappearing Messages for all; Know how to activate

Earlier this month WhatsApp announced the disappearing messages feature. This feature is now available for all WhatsApp users on Android, iOS and also on the web. As the name suggests, once the feature is enabled, messages will get disappeared from chats.

For messages to disappear in chats, WhatsApp has chosen a time limit of seven days. From the moment the feature is activated, any messages sent in that chat will automatically disappear after seven days. This feature can be enabled on WhatsApp Android and iOS applications, and also on WhatsApp Web. It works for both one-on-one and group chats, but only admins have control over this for the latter.

How to activate disappearing messages on WhatsApp

 First, ensure that you have the application latest version.

 Open any chat on WhatsApp and tap on the contact information.

 Scroll down to find "Disappearing Messages".

 This feature will be disabled by default, so you need to enable it.

 Now new messages sent to chat will disappear after seven days.

WhatsApp will notify when messages disappear in chat have been enabled. The other participant in the chat can also deactivate it from his end. There are some more limitations with disappearing messages on WhatsApp. Although the messages disappear after seven days, it will still be visible in the notification preview if the chat has not been read. Quoted messages will remain in the chat even after they have disappeared.

The same goes for forwarded messages where the text will remain visible even if it has disappeared from the original chat. WhatsApp also warns that there are other ways to keep chats like taking screenshots. The time limit seems quite long, and users will probably forget that the feature is on. WhatsApp said it chose seven days, so you don't miss important messages.