WhatsApp introduced the disappearing message feature a few years back to add more privacy options for users. The optional feature allows users to set messages in a chat to automatically be deleted after a set period. Now giving more control over chats, the Meta-owned platform is releasing a new update for the disappearing message feature which will allow them to save selected messages from disappearing.
The new feature update will help users prevent messages from being automatically deleted from their chat history, giving users more control over their conversations. According to Wabetainfo, the website which tracks all the developments around WhatsApp, the platform is releasing the ability to keep messages from disappearing for some Android beta testers with WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.4.18 update.
The feature update adds a new bookmark icon in the disappearing chat window which will let users select and bookmark certain messages which they want to keep from disappearing. Similarly, to upkeep the messages, one will be able to unsave the message by choosing the “unkeep” icon, and the message will disappear permanently. Once this is done, the “keep” action can no longer be used on those messages.
The ability to keep messages from disappearing WhatsApp can be useful for users who want to save some important messages from the disappearing chat message. While WhatsApp does allow users to disable disappearing message timers, the new keep feature gives more control over chats and helps users to save only those messages which are important.
Notably, the keep message feature is currently available for some Android beta testers who have installed the latest version of WhatsApp beta from the Play Store. The feature will be released for more people in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, WhatsApp is also adding more settings to the disappearing section. According to reports, WhatsApp is planning to add 15 new durations to set for the disappearing message option.
Currently, the platform only allows users to set durations for disappearing messages from three options: 24 hours, 7 days, and 90 days. However, WhatsApp will soon add 15 new time duration options for disappearing messages under the “More options” menu. The new update will allow users to set up a timer for disappearing messages from 1 year, 180 days, 60 days, 30 days, 21 days, 14 days, 6 days, 5 days, 4 days, 3 days, 2 days, 12 hours, 6 hours, 3 hours, and 1 hour.