- Turn on disappearing messages in one WhatsApp chat
- How long do disappearing messages last on WhatsApp?
- Set a default timer for every new WhatsApp chat
- Who can turn on disappearing messages in a WhatsApp group
- Keeping a message that would otherwise disappear on WhatsApp
- What disappearing messages on WhatsApp don't remove
- What happens to photos and videos in a disappearing chat on WhatsApp
- Disappearing messages versus hiding a chat on WhatsApp
- Using disappearing messages for your business on WhatsApp
- Frequently asked questions
To turn on disappearing messages on WhatsApp, open the chat, tap the contact's name or group subject, tap Disappearing messages and choose 24 hours, 7 days or 90 days. For all new chats, use Settings, Privacy, Default message timer. Only new messages follow the timer.
Disappearing messages are WhatsApp's way of tidying a conversation for you. Once the feature's on, new messages vanish from the chat after a set time, which is handy for details you only need briefly, like an address or a one-off code. I use it when a chat includes information I won't need next week. Here's how to switch it on for one chat, how to set a default for every new chat, and what it can't do. Everything below follows WhatsApp's own help articles on the feature.
Turn on disappearing messages in one WhatsApp chat
These are the steps WhatsApp's help pages give for a single chat. Menus vary slightly between phones and app versions.
- Open the chat with the person or group.
- Tap the contact's name or the group subject at the top.
- Tap Disappearing messages. If prompted, tap Continue.
- Choose 24 hours, 7 days or 90 days, then tap the tick to apply the change.
On an iPhone the idea's the same: open the chat, tap the name at the top and look for Disappearing messages. WhatsApp's help pages say you can turn the feature on for one or many existing chats.
How long do disappearing messages last on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp's help pages say you can choose 24 hours, 7 days or 90 days. The timer counts from when each message is sent. The duration you choose only affects new messages in the chat, not messages you've already sent or received. The messages disappear for both senders and recipients, including messages you send to yourself.
Set a default timer for every new WhatsApp chat
If you'd rather not set it chat by chat, you can choose a default. WhatsApp's help pages describe it like this:
- Tap the three dots, then Settings, then Privacy.
- Tap Default message timer.
- Select 24 hours, 7 days, 90 days or Off.
- Choose whether to apply the timer to chats you already have, or leave existing chats alone.
WhatsApp says all new individual chats then use the duration you select. By default the timer is off. If you can't find the option, update the app, because the wording may differ by version.
Who can turn on disappearing messages in a WhatsApp group
In individual chats, either you or the person you're messaging can turn the feature on or off. In groups, WhatsApp's help pages say that by default anyone can turn disappearing messages on or off, but group admins can change the group settings so only admins can. That's useful if you manage a customer group or a community and want a say in what's kept. When the setting is enabled in a group, new messages disappear and messages sent before the change are unaffected.
Keeping a message that would otherwise disappear on WhatsApp
The app has a feature called kept messages. According to its help pages, anyone in the chat can keep a disappearing message to stop it vanishing, as long as the timer hasn't run out. A kept message is visible to everyone in the conversation and won't disappear when its time expires. The sender stays in control: you'll get a notification if someone keeps a message you sent, and if you unkeep it, no one else can keep it again. WhatsApp says you've roughly 30 days to unkeep a message. If you turn disappearing messages off, you can't keep messages any more.
What disappearing messages on WhatsApp don't remove
This is the part people get wrong, so I'll be plain. Disappearing messages tidy a chat, they aren't a guarantee of privacy. According to WhatsApp's help pages:
- A message forwarded to a chat that has disappearing messages off won't disappear in that other chat.
- If someone replies to a disappearing message, the quoted message might still be visible after the time has passed.
- A chat backup made before a message disappears includes that message, and WhatsApp says disappeared messages are deleted when someone restores from a backup.
- If a person doesn't open WhatsApp before the time is up, the message disappears from the chat, but its notification preview might still show until they open the app.
- In some countries the feature isn't available for certain order-related messages.
The articles I read don't promise that other people can't capture a message before it goes, so I'd assume they can: whatever someone can see on their screen, they could photograph or copy. If something is very sensitive, don't send it. I've also covered what happens when senders remove messages in my guide to seeing deleted messages on WhatsApp.
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What happens to photos and videos in a disappearing chat on WhatsApp
According to the help pages, that by default, any media you download in WhatsApp is automatically saved to your photos. But when disappearing messages are on, media sent in that chat will disappear and won't be saved to your photos. If you'd like to change the default for your other chats, my guide to stopping WhatsApp saving photos to your gallery shows how.
Disappearing messages versus hiding a chat on WhatsApp
| Feature | How it works | Best used for |
|---|---|---|
| Disappearing messages | New messages go automatically after 24 hours, 7 days or 90 days | Chats you don't want hanging around |
| Delete for everyone | Manual, one message at a time | A message sent in error |
| Archive or lock a chat | Hides the chat and keeps the messages | Keeping a chat out of sight |
If you just want a chat out of the way and still keep the messages, I've written about hiding a WhatsApp chat with archive or chat lock, which is a different job.
Using disappearing messages for your business on WhatsApp
Disappearing messages can be sensible for delivery details or arrival instructions. But for orders, agreements and anything you may need later, leave the feature off or keep a record elsewhere. A message that has gone can't be brought back later if there's a dispute. Make it a habit to confirm important points by email or in your own notes. And tell the other person when you switch it on, so nobody wonders where a detail went.
Frequently asked questions
How do I turn on disappearing messages on WhatsApp?
Open the chat, tap the contact's name or group subject, tap Disappearing messages and choose 24 hours, 7 days or 90 days. You can also set a default timer for new chats under Settings, then Privacy, then Default message timer.
How long can disappearing messages last?
WhatsApp's help pages say 24 hours, 7 days or 90 days. You can also turn the feature off.
Do disappearing messages delete messages I already sent?
No. WhatsApp says the duration only affects new messages in the chat, not messages you've already sent or received.
Who can turn on disappearing messages in a group?
By default anyone in the group can. WhatsApp says group admins can change the group settings so only admins can.
Can someone keep a disappearing message?
Yes. WhatsApp says anyone in the chat can keep it before the timer runs out. The sender gets a notification and can unkeep it.
