Sending messages with the disappearing messages function is a clever approach to do so without leaving a trail or history. Here is all you need to know to activate and use disappearing messages on popular messaging apps like Telegram, Signal, Instagram, and WhatsApp if you’ve been wondering how to get started with the function.
Send Disappearing Messages
1. Send Disappearing Messages on Telegram
You presumably already know that Telegram’s private chat function is end-to-end encrypted if you’ve read our comparison of WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal. To transmit media and disappearing messages on Telegram, you should set up a private chat. Open the contact’s profile page and click Start secret chat to begin.
To access more choices in the private chat interface, touch the vertical menu with three dots next to the contact. Choose Set self-destruct timer from the menu that now appears. The message can be programmed to disappear after a period of time between one second and one week. Select the time frame for your message’s self-destruct, then click Done. To access the self-destruct timer, tap the clock icon next to the profile image.
After you set the self-destruct timer, any messages and media you send to the contact through secret chat will expire at the specified time. Do bear in mind that this setting has no impact on how normal Telegram chats with the same person typically proceed.
You can transmit self-destructing photographs and videos without setting up a secret conversation, in case that’s something you’re interested in. Simply select the image or video from the file picker interface and hit the timer icon to start the countdown. Once you’ve specified the expiration timer, click Done. When the recipient opens the image, the countdown begins and the file preview is hazy (see image above).
2. Send Disappearing Messages on Signal
If you recently converted from WhatsApp to Signal, you’ll be happy to learn that Signal’s approach of disappearing messages is significantly superior than WhatsApp’s. To use the function, open a chat, select Disappearing messages from the vertical three-dot menu in the top right corner. The duration can now be set to anything from 5 seconds to 1 week.
When a message has a clock next to it, it was sent using the vanishing messages option. Always check the indicator next to the profile picture to see when a message will expire.
3. Send Disappearing Messages on Instagram
Facebook has added the “vanish mode” feature to Instagram as part of the merger of Instagram Direct and Facebook Messenger. Because of this, you can swipe up from any Instagram Direct Message to open a private chat window where messages are deleted when the conversation window is closed. Similar to that, you can end vanish mode by swiping up once more.
You don’t have to enable vanish mode if you’re seeking for a way to send self-destructing media like Snapchat. Instead, click the camera icon in the lower left corner, pick the photo or video, and then select the View Once tab. When you’re ready to email the image, tap Send.
4. Send Disappearing Messages on WhatsApp
In November of last year, WhatsApp introduced vanishing messages, the first of all prominent messaging services. The duration of the self-destruct timer, however, cannot be altered here. If you ask me, WhatsApp’s disappearing messages mode isn’t ideal because all communications are deleted after seven days. Here are the instructions if you decide to try out WhatsApp’s disappearing messages function. You can read more about why this feature shouldn’t be your first choice for sending sensitive photographs here.
Go to the contact’s profile page in WhatsApp. By tapping on the contact’s name in the discussion box, you can do this. From here, select the Disappearing messages option by searching for it. By tapping the On toggle, you can now decide whether to make the option available.
Use Disappearing Messages Mode While Sending Sensitive Images
So there you have it—our guide on using disappearing messages on well-known messaging services. If you’re searching for additional advice on how to utilise these platforms effectively, check out our articles on Instagram tips, WhatsApp tips, Signal tips, and Telegram tips. You should also take a look at our article on removing metadata from images for increased privacy.