How to turn disappearing messages on or off
Android
iPhone
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Web and Desktop
You can send messages that disappear on WhatsApp by turning disappearing messages on.
- When you enable disappearing messages, you can choose to have messages disappear after 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days, unless the messages are kept.
- Disappearing messages can also be kept in the chat so that they won’t disappear. Learn more about kept messages in this article.
- You can turn on disappearing messages for multiple existing chats. New messages sent in the chat will disappear after the duration you select. The most recent duration you select controls new messages in the chat, not previous messages you’ve sent or received.
- You can turn disappearing messages on for all of your chats, or select specific chats.
Open WhatsApp to get started.
Enable disappearing messages
Anyone can enable disappearing messages in an individual chat. Once enabled, new messages in the chat will disappear after the duration you select.
- Open the WhatsApp chat.
- Tap the contact’s name.
- Tap Disappearing Messages.
- If prompted, tap Continue.
- Select 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days.
Disable disappearing messages
Anyone in the chat can disable disappearing messages at any time. You can choose to keep specific messages to prevent them from disappearing, as long as the duration time has not passed. If you decide to disable disappearing messages, you won’t have the option to keep them.
- Open the WhatsApp chat.
- Tap the contact’s name.
- Tap Disappearing Messages.
- If prompted, tap Continue.
- Select Off.
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