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WhatsApp is working on a new privacy feature for disappearing messages that could make conversations feel a little more temporary and controlled than before. The feature is currently being tested in the latest iPhone beta version of the app, and it changes how disappearing messages behave once someone actually reads them.
The update was first spotted in WhatsApp beta for iOS version 26.19.10.72, available through Apple’s TestFlight program. According to WABetaInfo, some beta testers can now access a new After reading option inside disappearing message settings.
Right now, WhatsApp’s disappearing messages work using fixed timers. Once enabled, messages automatically delete after a selected period such as 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days. The timer starts as soon as the message is sent, regardless of whether the other person has even opened the chat.
This new system works differently. Instead of deleting messages based only on when they were sent, WhatsApp can now wait until the recipient actually reads the message before starting the countdown. Users can reportedly choose whether messages disappear 5 minutes, 1 hour, or 12 hours after they have been viewed.
For example, if someone sends a message using the new setting with a 5-minute timer, the message will remain available until the recipient opens the conversation. Once the message is read, WhatsApp starts the countdown, and the message disappears after those five minutes pass.
However, unread messages still are not permanent. If the recipient never opens the message, WhatsApp will automatically remove it after 24 hours anyway.
The feature appears to be designed for users who want more control over temporary conversations without relying only on traditional disappearing message timers. It could also be useful for sensitive information that only needs to stay visible briefly after being seen.
WhatsApp is not enabling the feature automatically. Like existing disappearing messages, the setting remains optional and can reportedly be enabled for specific chats instead of every conversation.
The company has continued expanding privacy-focused tools across the app over the past few years, including chat lock, encrypted backups, view-once media, secret code protection and the Incognito chat. This new After reading option seems to follow the same direction by giving users more precise control over how long messages stay accessible.
At the moment, the feature is only rolling out to a limited number of beta testers on iPhone. Some users on the stable App Store version may also see it early, although availability still appears limited. WhatsApp has not announced when the feature will become publicly available for everyone.