WhatsApp Will Soon Let Users Save Disappearing Chats as 'Kept Messages': Report

A “kept message” will reportedly have its own visual indicator to distinguish it from other messages.

Written by Sucharita Ganguly, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 9 January 2023 12:02 IST

WhatsApp Will Soon Let Users Save Disappearing Chats as 'Kept Messages': Report

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Disappearing messages are automatically deleted after the pre-set time limit expires

Highlights

Kept messages will not be deleted automatically from WhatsApp chats
WhatsApp users can choose to un-keep messages at any time
The feature is not yet ready for release to beta testers

WhatsApp may soon enable users to save disappearing messages. The Meta-owned instant messaging platform is reportedly working on a feature called "kept messages" that will allow anyone to temporarily save a fleeting disappearing chat and keep it as is (for everyone), even if the message has expired. A kept message is shown to have its own visual cue to differentiate it from other chats. Disappearing messages are ones that users can choose to send to other users with a time limit after which they are deleted automatically from all connected devices.

WABetaInfo, a WhatsApp feature and update tracker website, has spotted yet another feature in development that may give users more control over these disappearing messages. The kept messages will not be deleted automatically from the chat and will continue to appear to all users even after their expiration date. Users can, however, choose to un-keep them at any time, and the chats will then be deleted for everyone. Messages that are saved will reportedly have their own bookmark icon to distinguish them from other chats.

The feature's availability remains unknown, as the report states that it is "currently in development and is not yet ready for release to beta testers," adding that "WhatsApp is working on bringing this feature to a future update of the app."

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WhatsApp's 'Kept messages' spotted in development
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

WhatsApp's disappearing messages feature, which debuted in 2021, is inspired by apps like Snapchat and allows users to chat more discreetly. However, unlike Snapchat, messages on WhatsApp are protected by end-to-end encryption. Users can also delete messages from a recipient's device after they have been sent. Users have the option of specifying who these messages can be deleted for — specifically for themselves (delete for me) or for everyone (delete for everyone).

WhatsApp’s Proxy Feature Will Help Users Bypass Internet Shutdowns

Accidental delete was recently added as a new feature on the app. If a user hit Delete for me when they meant to delete the chat for everyone., the accidental delete feature helps users by providing them with a five-second window to overturn the accidental message delete and click on Delete for everyone.

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Further reading: WhatsApp, Meta

Sucharita Ganguly

Email Sucharita Ganguly

Sucharita is a writer with Gadgets 360 and is mostly found playing with her cat in her free time. She has previously worked at breaking news desks across organizations. Powered by coffee, The Beatles, Bowie, and her newfound love for BTS, she aims to work towards contributing to a better media environment for women and queer folk. More