WhatsApp Disappearing Messages

As one of the most popular instant messaging apps, WhatsApp has a bunch of great features including WhatsApp disappearing messages options you can turn to when you want to add an extra layer of protection to your private WhatsApp conversations. Here in this guide, we explore this WhatsApp disappearing messages option so you know how to enable it on your Android or your iOS device.

We also explain how this option works and why is it important today when everyone is working very hard on protecting what is meant to be protected, private conversations, images, videos, and files. Before we get there, we should briefly examine the service’s other features in comparison to other instant, secure messaging options out there such as Telegram Messenger and Signal that remain among the biggest WhatsApp rivals.

Quick WhatsApp Facts

Thanks to the advent of the internet and of course, amazing technological advancements, it has never been so easy to communicate with people across the globe. What you need is a smartphone, tablet, or desktop device connected to the internet and an instant messaging app such as WhatsApp. These services have changed so much when it comes to communicating online. Since more and more people use such options, new apps of this kind are appearing on the scene almost on a daily basis.

What makes WhatsApp stand out when compared to other similar options is its user-friendly design and its simplicity. WhatsApp is incredibly easy to use even if you have not used similar apps before. The app was created by Jan Koum and Brian Acton and it was released in 2009 by WhatsApp LLC. Today, WhatsApp is owned and operated by Facebook that acquired the WhatsApp client application back in February of 2014.

Being associated with Facebook that remains the most used, most popular social media platform has definitely helped WhatsApp reach more people across the globe. With this in mind, WhatsApp is the most used instant messaging app with over two billion users as estimated in February of 2020. In other words, WhatsApp disappearing messaging and other options are the primary means of online communication for people across the globe wherever the app is available.

The very first version of WhatApp was released for iOS devices while today it is also available to Android users. Just like other popular services of this kind, WhatsApp is a cross-platform, freeware, voice-over-IP instant messaging service. Users of WhatsApp can send voice and text messages, as well as make video and voice calls, share images, videos, files, their location, GIFs, and other content.

In addition to WhatsApp disappearing messages, there is a bunch of other features included such as communicating in group chats, using the desktop version of the app, text formatting options, muting conversations, and even more. With WhatsApp, you can also export conversations you want to save, receive custom alerts for different contacts, save some space on your device by turning off saving photos and videos options, hide your seen status, and fully disable read receipts.

• Over two billion users
• Free WhatsApp app for all devices
• Extremely easy to use
• Video calling options
• File sharing options
• Free of advertisements
• User-friendly
• End-to-end encryption employed

What is the WhatsApp Disappearing Messages Feature?

Following the latest trends when it comes to instant messaging apps and privacy measures, the most used instant messaging service rolled out its disappearing messages option. As suggested, the WhatsApp disappearing messages feature is a great option thanks to which you can send self-destruct or disappearing messages to anyone of your WhatsApp contacts.

When you send WhatsApp disappearing messages, these disappear or self destruct after sometime and cannot be accessed again. This is definitely a much-needed option that when used significantly improves data and online privacy. Considering how much time we spend communicating online using WhatsApp and other similar services, turning to disappearing messages options is the best route to take.

The main idea behind ephemeral messaging is not something new or something only WhatsApp uses. Before WhatsApp disappearing messages options were rolled out, other services such as Telegram and Signal already offered these features. Essentially, ephemeral messaging is the mobile transmission of text or multimedia messages which self destruct or disappear from the recipient’s device after he or she views the message.

Needless to say, ephemeral messaging options are reshaping the entire digital communication industry and the same goes for the WhatsApp disappearing messages option that most certainly brings a whole another level of online and data privacy to the service. Introducing disappearing messages was a great step for WhatsApp and now its users can communicate with each other more freely without worrying about their private, sensitive data being compromised in any way. So, how do you enable WhatsApp disappearing messages on your device?

How to Enable WhatsApp Disappearing Messages?

To use the much-awaited WhatsApp disappearing messages option, you need to enable it otherwise it does not apply to your WhatsApp chats by default. Once you get the app from Google Play or the App Store depending on which device you use, open the app and follow the following steps:

• Navigate to WhatsApp chat of the contact you want to communicate with
• Click on the contact’s name and find the Disappearing messages option
• Turn on the Disappearing messages option
• Go back to the chat window and you see a disappearing messages logo

To turn off this option, go back to the chat window, once again click on the contact’s name, and press Off on the WhatsApp disappearing messages option. It should be noted that the WhatsApp disappearing messages option can also be used in group chats if you are the admin.

To enable to option in group chats, open the app, click on the name of the group, and follow the same steps as described before. Once you have enabled the option, your messages self destruct after seven days. Lastly, with the same option, you can send disappearing photos or other media which self destructs after seven days but photos or videos sent or received will be saved on your device if the auto-download option is on.