In good news for WhatsApp users, the Meta-owned app is reportedly working on a new feature that that will give users more control over disappearing messages. According to a report, the popular instant messaging platform will soon allow messages to automatically disappear after they are read.
Right now, WhatsApp lets users turn on disappearing messages with fixed timers like 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days. These timers start as soon as a message is sent but that may soon change.
The company is now testing a new ‘after reading’ option. With this, the timer will start only after the recipient opens and reads the message. This means users will have better control over how long their chats remain visible especially for sensitive conversations.
“Following the release of the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.15.11 update, which is available on the Google Play Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is working on a feature that makes messages disappear after they’re sent or read,” WABetaInfo, a website that tracks WhatsApp, reported.
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The screenshots shared in its report, WhatsApp is also planning to introduce more flexible timing choices. Instead of just one default option, users may get multiple durations such as 5 minutes, 1 hour, and 12 hours. This will allow users to decide exactly how long a message should stay after being read.
For example, if a user selects 5 minutes, the message will disappear 5 minutes after the recipient reads it. If the message is opened after a few hours, the countdown will begin only then.
The new feature is expected to work alongside the existing disappearing messages setting.
With this feature, WhatsApp will offer two different ways to control how long messages remain visible. The first option is the standard disappearing messages timer. It starts counting from the moment the message is sent. For example, if users select 24 hours, the message disappears from both devices 24 hours after sending, even if the recipient has not read it yet.
The second option is the ‘after reading’ timer. It is based on when the recipient actually opens the conversation and reads the message. In this case, if the sender selects 5 minutes, the message disappears from the sender’s device 5 minutes after sending, regardless of whether the recipient has read it.
On the recipient’s device, the countdown only begins once the user reads the message. If the recipient reads the message three hours after sending it, it disappears from their device three hours and five minutes later.
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“The after reading option will offer a more precise level of control over message privacy compared to traditional timers. It ensures that messages remain visible only for a short period after users view them, rather than simply counting down from when users send them,” WABetaInfo said.
“This option can help users share sensitive information with greater confidence,” it added.
For users who often share personal details, OTPs, or confidential information, this feature could be especially useful. As of now, the feature is currently under development and not available to users yet. The instant messaging app is still testing how the system handles message deletion after reading.
Once ready, it is expected to roll out first to beta testers before a wider release.
