WhatsApp gets option to make chat messages disappear by default

WhatsApp users will have the option to automatically delete all their messages in one-on-one conversations by default. Previously, users had to manually enable this feature for individual WhatsApp conversations.

WhatsApp parent company Meta reports in a blog post that the option has already been made available, although we have not yet been able to test the function. Users can turn on the feature in WhatsApp’s privacy settings, under ‘Default Message Timer’. After the option is enabled, all messages a user sends in one-on-one conversations are automatically deleted after a certain amount of time.

Users cannot set their chat messages in group apps to be deleted by default, as group admins must manually enable the feature in such conversations. The option for disappearing messages will now be displayed when users create a WhatsApp group, Meta reports.

The chat service will also have more options to set how long it takes before a message is automatically deleted. Previously, users could only choose to have messages deleted after seven days. With the new update, WhatsApp users can also choose to have all messages automatically disappear from the service after 24 hours or 90 days. There were previous reports that the 24-hour option would be added to the chat platform.