WhatsApp has always let you send messages that vanish on a timer, but the clock starts the moment you hit send, not when the other person actually read it. That means a message could sit unread for hours and still disappear before anyone sees it.
This is why WhatsApp is testing a new feature called ‘After Reading’ timer for disappearing messages, spotted in the latest iOS beta update by WABetaInfo.
The feature is currently rolling out to some beta testers on iOS, having previously been tested on Android. It is available through the TestFlight beta program, with a wider rollout expected over the coming weeks.
How does the After Reading timer actually work?
To understand the new feature, it helps to know how disappearing messages already work on WhatsApp. When you turn on disappearing messages in a chat, WhatsApp automatically deletes new messages after a set period.
You can currently choose between 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days. The feature can be switched on for specific chats or applied globally across all your conversations.
The new After Reading option adds a smarter layer on top of this. Instead of the countdown starting when you send the message, it kicks in the moment the recipient actually reads it.
You can set the message to disappear 5 minutes, 1 hour, or 12 hours after it is opened. If the recipient never opens the message, it disappears automatically after 24 hours.
After Reading feature works slightly differently for the sender and recipient
On the sender’s side, the message disappears 5 minutes after sending, regardless of when the recipient opens it. On the recipient’s side, the countdown only begins once they view it.
The After Reading option is entirely optional and not enabled by default, so your existing conversations remain as they are unless you choose to turn it on. It can also be enabled on a per-chat basis, giving you the flexibility to use it only where it makes sense.
Recently, WhatsApp also introduced an Incognito Chat mode for Meta AI, where messages vanish the moment you close the chat.