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Meta-owned WhatsApp is experimenting with a new privacy feature that enables messages to disappear once read, giving users more control over their chats.
Currently accessible to selected beta testers on both Android and iOS, this feature aims to improve upon existing disappearing message options by adding a new “After reading” timer.
This update allows users to set messages to delete automatically after the recipient opens and reads them, rather than depending solely on fixed time limits. Previously, options included 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days, which sometimes led to messages expiring before they were viewed.
The new system addresses this by making sure messages stay visible until the recipient actually sees them. Once a message is opened, a countdown begins based on the sender’s choice—five minutes, an hour, or 12 hours. After this period, the message is automatically removed from the chat. If the message isn’t opened within the set duration, it will still disappear after 24 hours, ensuring privacy while maintaining message reliability.
The rollout has already started for some beta users on Android, while iOS testers gained early access through version 26.19.10.72. The company plans to gradually expand access over the coming weeks as testing continues.
This enhancement aims to give users more flexibility in managing sensitive conversations and reduces the chance of messages being stored indefinitely. However, it’s also acknowledged that very short timers might pose usability challenges, especially if messages vanish before being read.
Overall, this “After reading” feature marks a notable step in WhatsApp’s ongoing effort to strengthen privacy controls and offer users more precise messaging management.
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