The launch of disappearing messages was announced by WhatsApp on Thursday. Since last year, this function has been in testing. As the name suggests, once the time limit is reached, this function will automatically remove chat messages.
For individual as well as group chats, the function is available. In group chats, however, group admins would be able to allow messages in group chats to disappear.
Both users have the option of enabling / disabling disappearing messages in a WhatsApp conversation.
Only after it is switched on will the function take place and older messages will not be impacted by it. It also functions not only for text, but also for the media.
The Disappearing Messages function is now official and will be rolled out during this month to its 2-billion plus users.
The Facebook-owned company said the goal is "to make conversations on WhatsApp feel as close to in-person as possible, which means they shouldn't have to stick around forever".
"That's why we're excited to introduce the option to use disappearing messages on WhatsApp. When the 'disappearing messages' feature is turned on, new messages sent to a chat will disappear after 7 days, helping the conversation feel lighter and more private," it said in a statement.
The disappearing message feature of WhatsApp will be open to all users during this month. This functionality comes soon after its updated storage management platform was released by WhatsApp.