WhatsApp already has a disappearing messages option, but its options are not as expansive as its rivals. A recent report reveals that the Facebook-owned messaging app is going to add a 24-hour setting that is currently being tested in beta.
WhatsApp future update may expand disappearing messages feature
Disappearing messages has become one of the useful features in popular messaging apps. WhatsApp introduced this function in 2019, but since then, it has only one option that allows users to set their texts to self-destruct in seven days after receiving them.
WABetaInfo has provided new evidence, in the form of a screenshot from an iOS device, that WhatsApp is planning to improve the disappearing messages feature by adding a 24 hours option. The source first reported that this improvement has been in the works in early March, and updated information posted last April 25 suggested it is still “under development.”
The same report also clarifies that the rumored 24 hours option will not replace the currently available seven days setting on WhatsApp. However, it is still not as extensive as the options available on other messaging apps like Signal. The privacy-focused app currently allows its users to make messages disappear after 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 6 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, and 1 week.
Meanwhile, it is still unclear when WhatsApp will officially release the update with the improved disappearing messages options. But WABetaInfo expects it to launch for iOS, Android, web, and desktop users.
WhatsApp’s new policy goes into effect on May 15
This is also a good time to remind WhatsApp users that the app’s controversial policy update is slated to take effect very soon. It can be recalled that a change in its privacy policy has caused concerns on user data collection and led many to move to other messaging apps.
WhatsApp has since clarified that it is not changing its end-to-end encryption service for private and group messages. But the data collection covers conversations with business accounts for marketing purposes, including Facebook advertisements. The policy will be enforced starting May 15. By then, users who will not agree to the new terms will practically lose access to some basic WhatsApp services, such as reading or sending messages.


Lightelligence IPO Soars Over 400% in Hong Kong Debut Amid Rising AI Investment Demand
Microsoft Azure Growth Forecast Beats Expectations Amid Rising AI Competition
Google Secures Pentagon AI Deal for Classified Projects
OpenAI Faces Revenue Pressure and User Growth Challenges Ahead of IPO
DeepSeek V4 Launch Signals China’s Growing AI Independence with Huawei Chips
U.S. Warns Allies Over Alleged Chinese AI IP Theft Linked to DeepSeek
Alphabet Earnings Surge on AI Growth, Cloud Revenue, and Strong Search Performance
U.S. Cybersecurity Pushes Faster Patch Deadlines Amid Rising AI-Driven Threats
Taiwan Court Fines Tokyo Electron Unit $4.78M in Major TSMC Trade Secrets Case
$16B Michigan Data Center Project Boosts U.S. AI Infrastructure Expansion
TSMC Exits Arm Holdings with $231 Million Share Sale Amid Strategic Portfolio Shift
FBI Warns of China’s Expanding Hack-for-Hire Network Amid Extradition Case
U.S. Demand for Alternative Satellite Providers Remains Strong Amid SpaceX Regulatory Push
Samsung Reports Record Profit as AI Boom Drives Memory Chip Demand
Amazon Stock Rises as Meta Expands AWS Partnership for AI Infrastructure
Chinese Chip Stocks Surge on AI Boom and Domestic Tech Push 



