WhatsApp is preparing a "Burn After Reading" feature, chats can disappear automatically after being read

WhatsApp is developing a new privacy feature (photo: dok. whatsapp)

JAKARTA - WhatsApp is developing a new privacy feature that allows messages to be automatically deleted after the recipient reads them. The feature, dubbed by many observers as "burn after reading", is said to be being tested on both iOS and Android devices and has the potential to be one of WhatsApp's biggest updates in terms of conversation privacy.

The information first appeared through a report from WABetaInfo, a site that often leaks new WhatsApp features before they are officially released. In the latest test, users will be able to set messages to disappear after the recipient reads them, not just based on a certain amount of time like the current disappearing messages system.

Until now, the disappearing messages feature on WhatsApp works using a fixed timer. Users can choose to have messages disappear in 24 hours, seven days, or 90 days. However, the system is considered less flexible because messages will still be deleted even if the recipient has not had time to read them.

Through this new update, WhatsApp is trying to change the approach. Message deletion will now be triggered after the chat is opened and read by the recipient. That way, the sender gets confirmation that the message has been seen before it finally disappears from the conversation.

The feature is said to be available through a new option called "after reading" in the disappearing messages settings menu. After the message is read, users can determine how long the message will last before it is automatically deleted, ranging from five minutes, one hour, to 12 hours.

Interestingly, the timer system between the sender and the recipient does not run synchronously. If the sender chooses a five-minute timer, the message will disappear from the sender's device after five minutes have passed. However, if the recipient has not opened the chat for several hours, the message will still be available on their device. A new timer will be active after the message has actually been read.

WhatsApp is also said to still maintain a maximum limit for unopened messages. If the recipient does not read the message at all within 24 hours, the system will automatically delete the message without waiting any longer.

The presence of this feature shows how the competition for instant messaging apps is shifting towards extreme privacy. In recent years, platforms such as Signal and Telegram have continued to push security features and temporary messages as their main selling points.

WhatsApp itself has always had an end-to-end encryption feature, but it is still considered more conservative than its rivals in terms of conversation privacy control.

This latest move also comes amid growing user concerns about the security of digital data and the traces of online conversations. Messages that can disappear automatically after being read are considered to provide additional security, especially for sensitive information, private conversations, or temporary documents.

However, like other disappearing messages features, this system still has gaps. Other users can still take screenshots, record the screen, or take a photo of the chat using another device before the message disappears. In other words, this feature is more effective in reducing casual digital footprints than being an absolute security system.

According to reports circulating, testing of this feature first appeared on Android in April 2026 before finally being expanded to iOS. The fact that its development is now running on two major operating systems at once is considered a signal that the global launch is likely to be closer.

Until now, Meta and WhatsApp have not given an official date for the release of this feature. However, if it is released in the near future, users will likely soon see a major change in how digital conversations take place.

The era of eternal chat seems to be starting to be abandoned. Now messages can not only be "last seen", but also "last breathe".

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