WhatsApp testing new after-reading feature for disappearing messages

WhatsApp is working on a new feature that could make disappearing messages more useful and flexible for users.

Currently, WhatsApp already allows users to send disappearing messages that automatically delete after a selected time. However, the timer starts as soon as the message is sent, not when the other person reads it. This means a message could disappear before the recipient even opens it.

To solve this problem, WhatsApp is now testing a new feature called “After Reading.” The feature was discovered in the latest iOS beta version by WABetaInfo.

With this new option, the countdown will begin only after the recipient reads the message. Users will be able to choose different time limits, including 5 minutes, 1 hour, or 12 hours after the message is opened.

If the recipient never opens the message, WhatsApp will automatically delete it after 24 hours.

At the moment, disappearing messages on WhatsApp can already be set to vanish after 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days. Users can enable the feature for individual chats or for all conversations.

The new “After Reading” option will be optional and turned off by default, meaning users can choose where and when to use it.

The feature is currently available to some iOS beta testers through the TestFlight program after earlier testing on Android devices. A wider release is expected in the coming weeks.

Recently, WhatsApp also introduced an Incognito Chat mode for Meta AI, where chats disappear as soon as the conversation is closed.