Buzz
The option for self-destructing messages on WhatsApp has been rumored since November of last year. Finally, after a year, the Facebook-owned company officially announced this feature. Users can send self-destructing messages on WhatsApp by activating the feature. Once enabled, self-destructing messages sent in the chat will disappear after 7 days.
2. How to Disable Self-Destruct Messages in WhatsApp
- Open a chat in WhatsApp.
- Tap on the contact's name.
- Choose Disappearing messages > Continue if prompted.
- Select Off.
This feature is available in the latest version; you can download WhatsApp here:
3. Some Notes on Using Self-Destruct Messages on WhatsApp
Here are some things to keep in mind when using self-destruct messages on WhatsApp:
- If the recipient doesn't check WhatsApp within 7 days, the message will be deleted. However, a preview of the content may still display in their notification.
- If you reply to a self-destructing message, the quoted text may persist in the chat after 7 days.
- If a self-destructing message is forwarded to an inactive chat, it won't vanish in that chat.
- If users back up before the self-destructing message disappears, it will be present in the backup. The message will be deleted upon restoration from the backup.
When this feature is introduced, you can easily activate self-destruct messages with just a few simple steps as shared above, provided you have installed the latest version of WhatsApp.
In some cases, if you mistakenly send a message and fear the recipient might see it, you can follow a guide on how to delete WhatsApp messages before they are read to avoid detection.
- Explore more: How to delete WhatsApp messages before the recipient reads them.
