CALIFORNIA (Kashmir English): Meta-owned WhatsApp is testing a new privacy-first feature that allows messages to disappear after being read.
The update would equip users with greater control over their conversations.
This new “After reading” feature, currently available to select beta testers, is being rolled out on both Android and iOS platforms.
WhatsApp feature
According to WABetaInfo, the feature is designed to allow messages disappear by introducing a new “After reading” timer.
The update will enable users to set messages to automatically delete option after the recipient opens and reads them, rather than relying solely on fixed time-based expiry options.
Previously, WhatsApp users could choose disappearing message timers such as 24 hours, seven days, or 90 days. Despite being useful, these options sometimes created limitations, particularly when messages expired before being read.
The new feature will address this issue by ensuring messages to remain visible until the recipient actually views them.
Once a message is read, a countdown begins based on the sender’s selected duration, which can be set to five minutes, one hour, or 12 hours.
After the mentioned period expires, the message is automatically removed from the chat. In case the recipient does not open the message, it will still disappear after 24 hours, maintaining a balance between privacy and reliability.
The update is already available for some WhatsApp beta users on Android, while iOS testers had earlier access through version 26.19.10.72. According to the company, the feature will gradually expand to more users over the coming weeks as testing continues.
Meta believes the new feature will give users more flexibility in managing sensitive conversations while reducing the risk of messages being stored indefinitely.
