WhatsApp is developing a new privacy feature that will allow messages to automatically disappear after they are read, ultimately giving users greater control over their conversations.
The new update introduces an “after reading” timer designed to offer more flexibility. Currently, WhatsApp users can enable disappearing messages with preset timers such as 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days.
However, these timers begin immediately after sending a message, regardless of whether it has been read.
This feature was discovered in a recent Android beta version of the app and completely changes how disappearing messages work. Unlike the current system where messages delete after a fixed time from when they are sent, the new feature will start the countdown only after the recipient opens the message. This will make disappearing messages more practical.
Early testing suggests users may be able to select different deletion periods once a message is read, including options like five minutes, one hour, or twelve hours. It hasn’t been clarified if the new setting could be applied either to individual chats or across all conversations.
WhatsApp is also preparing interface improvements to make disappearing message controls easier to understand. The redesigned layout is expected to clearly separate traditional timers from the new read-based option.
With the new update, the new timing feature will only activate after the message has been viewed. For example, if a user chooses a five-minute limit, the message will remain available until it is read and then automatically delete five minutes later.
While still under development, WhatsApp is actively testing the tool and is expected to release it first to beta users before rolling it out globally.
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