Whatsapp Disappearing Messaging Feature now in India

The official launch of the much-awaited 'Disappearing Messages' feature with a time limit of seven days before the message gets automatically deleted, WhatsApp recently released the update for its Indian users.

The social media giant messaging app had earlier announced that the feature is now official and will be rolled out to its 2-billion plus users "during this month."

The 'Disappearing Messages' feature is available for individual as well as group chats. However, in group chats, only the group admins will be able to enable disappearing messages in group chats.

The feature is available on all WhatsApp-supported devices including Android, iOS, and Linux-based KaiOS devices, along with WhatsApp Web and Desktop platform.

Once the Disappearing Messages feature is on, the selection controls all messages in the chat thereafter. "This setting won’t affect messages the user’s previously sent or received in the chat," WhatsApp said in its support page.

Disappearing messages will also wipe out photos and videos after seven days, and while messages will disappear for both parties it’s still possible to take screenshots or just simply copy messages before they are automatically deleted. Or, the user can also save the photos or other content with auto-download on. The user can turn auto-download off in WhatsApp Settings > Data and Storage Usage.

If a user doesn’t open WhatsApp in the seven-day period, the message will disappear. However, the preview of the message might still be displayed in notifications until WhatsApp is opened.

Moreover, if a disappearing message is forwarded to a chat with disappearing messages off, the message won’t disappear in the forwarded chat. Also, if a user creates a backup before a message disappears, the disappearing message will be included in the backup. Disappearing messages will be deleted when a user restores from a backup.

WhatsApp has also been enhancing its app for its business users.

WhatsApp has recently added a new shopping button on its app to make it easier for people to discover a business' catalogue to get information about the goods and services offered by the firm.

It added that the Facebook-owned company is rolling out a new shopping button on WhatsApp to make it easier for people to discover a business' catalogue so they know what goods or services it offers. Previously, people had to click into the business' profile to see if the business had a catalogue.

The new shopping button is available now across the world and will replace the voice call button, it added. To find the voice call button, users can tap on the call button to select either a voice or video call.