WhatsApp latest update: This new disappearing messages feature coming soon!

In good news for WhatsApp users around the world, the Meta-owned popular messaging application is planning to bring a new feature that will let users set their old messages to ‘disappear at once’. 

According to a report by WABetaInfo, a website that tracks WhatsApp, the messaging app is working on making changes to its ‘default message timer’ — the one that lets WhatsApp users to set a limit as to when their disappearing messages will vanish from the chat — such that they able to bring old messages under the purview of the feature.

 At the moment, WhatsApp users can enable the feature in advance such that messages that they send in future vanish after the specified time period. A screenshot of the feature shared by the WABetaInfo revealed that WhatsApp will display a message stating — “This does not affect your existing chats. 

Apply this message timer to existing chats by selecting them” — in the window where the messaging app displays the Default Message Timer.  When user tap the “by selecting them” text in the window, a new section window will show up wherein they will be able to select multiple conversations to convert them to disappearing chats at once.

“This shortcut is very useful when you want to enable disappearing messages for several chats, so you do not need to toggle the feature within every chat info manually. After converting them to disappearing chats, all new messages in these chats will be set to disappear,” the WABetaInfo report said .

According to the report, this feature is still in the development phase and there is no word on when it will be available in the company’s apps for its users to use.

Recently, WhatsApp announced it is rolling out new features, including emoji reactions, bigger files and groups. The latest rollout will be for all users. Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement via his official Facebook account.

In his post he said, “Reactions on WhatsApp start rolling out today. We’re including to help spread thanks and appreciation. More expressions coming soon.” The Reactions feature was one of the announcements made last month. This feature will make it easier for users to react to single messages. So far, users had to type an emoji to react to a message but now, that can be done instantly by just tapping and holding the message you want to react to.