WhatsApp Tests Read-Triggered Disappearing Messages
WhatsApp is testing a new feature for disappearing messages that activates a countdown after the message has been read. This option allows users to set messages to disappear after intervals of 5 minutes, 1 hour, or 12 hours post-reading. The feature is currently available to some beta testers on both iOS and Android platforms.
- ▪WhatsApp is introducing a read-triggered disappearing messages feature.
- ▪The countdown for disappearing messages starts only after the recipient reads them.
- ▪Users can choose from countdown options of 5 minutes, 1 hour, or 12 hours.
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WhatsApp Tests Read-Triggered Disappearing MessagesWednesday May 20, 2026 3:57 am PDT by Tim HardwickWhatsApp is getting a new setting for disappearing messages that causes them to vanish based on a countdown that starts only after they've been read. Spotted by WaBetaInfo in the latest WhatsApp TestFlight beta, the new option starts a countdown after the recipient reads the message, rather than starting the countdown when the message is sent. The countdown options with the "After reading" setting chosen include the usual "5 minutes," "1 hour," and "12 hours." The setting appears in the "Default messsage timer" menu, so perhaps WhatsApp will find a different home for the option or (more likely) rename the settings page to something like "Message timer options." The new feature is said to…
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