This feature allows you to send invisible messages in WhatsApp. Once this is enabled, messages sent or received by a person or group will automatically disappear after seven days. It also controls all messages in the current new selection chat. However this setting does not affect any messages sent or received in your previous chat. In your personal chat, any user can turn their invisible messages on or off at any time. When in any group chat, only group administrators can turn invisible messages on or off.
- If the user does not open his WhatsApp within these seven days, his message will disappear. However, a preview of the message within it is displayed in the instructions except for opening WhatsApp.
- Initial messages will now be quoted only when you reply to a message. But if you reply to disappearing messages, the text messages recorded in it will remain in the chat even after seven days.
- Sometimes if such a disappearing message is forwarded to the same chat with the disappearing message, such a message will also disappear in the forwarded chat.
- Now if a user backs up a message before it disappears, they can restore such disappearing message in a backup. But when a user is restored from a backup, the messages will be hidden.
NOTE: As far as possible, only use disappearing messages with people you trust. For example, your family member:
- After turning this on to save messages. Take a screenshot of the disappearing message or save it before it disappears.
- Copy and save the required messages before they disappear.
- Take a photo of the message disappearing through the mobile screenshot before it disappears.
Media in invisible messages in WhatsApp
Photos and documents are usually downloaded automatically in a message in WhatsApp. If the Disappearing Messages feature is turned on, such sent messages will also disappear, but such photos and documents will be saved if Auto Download is turned on.
If you want to stop this auto download go to Settings> Auto Download and turn off
Related resources to learn more about:
➭ How to turn disappearing messages on or off in a group: on Android | on iPhone | on KaiOS | on Web and Desktop