How to automatically make all your WhatsApp messages disappear after a while

WhatsApp has changed the functionality of ephemeral messages. You can fine-tune the delay and set this behavior as default. Here’s how to use it.

The functionality of WhatsApp ephemeral messages has been very limited until recently. Once enabled for a specific conversation or group, all messages were automatically deleted after seven days, but it was not possible to set this time or choose this method for all conversations.

However, for some time, Meta expanded its functionality. First of all, you can specify the storage time of messages. In addition to the original 7 days, you can now choose 24 hours or 90 days. And, more importantly, you can activate ephemeral messages for all new conversations with a single button. Here’s how to set up these two new features.

How to Automatically Delete New Messages on WhatsApp

WhatsApp allows you to set a default time limit for deleting your new messages. After making sure you have the latest version of the app, go to Settings > Account > Privacy > Delay to Fade.

Here you can choose “24 hours”, “7 days”or “90 days”. Once activated, all your new messages will automatically disappear at the expiration date for both parties in the conversation. This setting does not affect existing messages.

It should be noted here that ephemeral messages are certainly a good security measure, but by no means can they guarantee respect for your privacy. During this period of 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days, messages sent or received are always fully available. And anyone could take a screenshot or forward a message. If you want to send sensitive photos, you’d better use the single view feature.

This feature is only applicable to a conversation between two people. When you create a new group, WhatsApp will ask you if you want to enable this feature for that group or not.

How to Change Ephemeral Message Delay for WhatsApp Conversations

If you don’t want to enable ephemeral messages for all your conversations, you can still use them for that conversation or group. Open a conversation and tap the name at the top of the screen, then go to the Ephemeral Messages section.

In the “Delay to fade”section, you can choose the delay that suits you (you will find the same options: 24 hours, 7 days and 90 days). All new messages will be deleted after this period.