WhatsApp users will soon have the opportunity to configure disappearing messages to disappear after the recipient has viewed them. Here are the specifics.
### Burn after reading
As noted by WABetaInfo, the latest beta version of WhatsApp on TestFlight features a new option for disappearing messages that allows users to set them to disappear after the recipient has read them.
With the introduction of the “After reading” option, WhatsApp enhances the privacy of disappearing messages. When users set the message timer, they can opt for their messages to vanish once they are viewed. However, any unread messages will automatically disappear after a default period of 24 hours. Users opting for this feature can also set a timer for “After reading.” They can select to have their messages disappear 5 minutes, 1 hour, or 12 hours after the recipient reads them.
Notably, the “After reading” feature currently appears within WhatsApp’s “Default message timer” option, despite functioning differently from the established time-based choices like 24 hours, 7 days, and 90 days.
WABetaInfo mentions that the “feature is available to select beta testers,” while acknowledging that “a limited number of users might also have access to test the feature via the version available on the App Store.”
According to WhatsApp, disappearing messages can be activated for either specific chats or set as the default for all new chats, serving as both an additional privacy feature and a means to conserve storage on the device. More information about WhatsApp’s disappearing messages feature can be found here.
Returning to WABetaInfo’s findings, the feature is also accessible in WhatsApp’s Android beta, indicating it may be nearing a wider rollout.
To read WABetaInfo’s report, follow this link.