The company said once the feature is enabled, "new messages sent in the individual or group chat will disappear after seven days".
Here's how to enable it on Android/IOS on individual and group chats:
Open the WhatsApp chat.
Tap the contact’s name.
Tap Disappearing Messages. If prompted, tap Continue.
Select On.
Select OFF> OK, if you want to disable.
Here's how to enable it on iOS devices on individual and group chats:
Open the WhatsApp chat.
Press Options > View Contact > OK.
Select Disappearing Messages > EDIT. If prompted, press Next > OK.
Select On > OK.
Select OFF> OK, if you want to disable.
Here's how to enable it on WhatsApp Web and Desktop on individual and group chats:
Open the WhatsApp chat.
Click the contact's name.
Click Disappearing Messages. If prompted, click Continue.
Select On.
Select Off in case you want to disable it.
Here are some important notes for users
In an individual chat, either user can turn disappearing messages on or off. In a group chat, only group admins can turn disappearing messages on or off.
If a user doesn’t open WhatsApp in the seven day period, the message will disappear. However, the preview of the message might still be displayed in notifications until WhatsApp is opened.
When you reply to a message, the initial message is quoted. If you reply to a disappearing message, the quoted text might remain in the chat after seven days.
If a disappearing message is forwarded to a chat with disappearing messages off, the message won’t disappear in the forwarded chat.
If a user creates a backup before a message disappears, the disappearing message will be included in the backup. Disappearing messages will be deleted when a user restores from a backup.
The media you receive in WhatsApp will be automatically downloaded to your photos. If disappearing messages are turned on, media sent in the chat will disappear but will be saved on the phone if auto-download is on.
However, the Facebook owned company cautioned that disappearing messages should only be used with "trusted individuals" since it is still possible for users to forward or take a screenshot of a disappearing message and save it before it disappears. Moreover, content can also be copied and saved from disappearing messages before it disappears.
