WhatsApp introduced its disappearing messages feature in December 2021, enabling the automatic deletion of messages in chats after a predetermined period. In January 2023, reports emerged indicating that the Meta-owned messaging service was developing an additional feature allowing users to preserve messages within chats set to disappear. According to a recent update, this new functionality, referred to as “Kept Messages,” is now being deployed to users on both Android and iOS who are part of the WhatsApp beta program, albeit currently limited to a select group of beta testers.
A report from WABetaInfo indicates that the Kept Messages feature is designed to allow users to save messages that would otherwise vanish in conversations that have the disappearing messages activated. This means that recipients will have the option to keep those messages from being erased from their chat history.
The rollout of the Kept Messages feature is taking place for WhatsApp users on iOS with beta version 23.0.4.75 and for those on Android using beta version 2.23.4.18. However, it is important to note that this feature is initially available only to a limited number of beta testers. A stable version may be released to a broader audience in future updates.
The report also provided a screenshot illustrating the operational mechanics of this new feature. Users can select a “Keep” action to preserve any disappearing messages when activated in a chat. Messages saved this way will feature a bookmark icon, and users will be able to find them in a dedicated “kept messages” section.
It remains unclear whether the Kept Messages feature will impose limits on the number of disappearing messages that can be saved simultaneously or if there will be a specific timeframe for retaining these messages beyond their original expiration set by the sender.
To recap, the disappearing messages feature was first launched by WhatsApp in December 2021, allowing individuals to choose automatic deletion for one-on-one chats after intervals of 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days.
