WhatsApp will allow users to delete messages that are two days old

WhatsApp is a messaging app that's always changing. Especially since Meta took over, it has been making fast progress with various updates and new features.

In a recent tweet, the WhatsApp development team announced that users would now be able to delete messages from a group or private chat two days after having sent them. More specifically, users will now have two days and 12 hours to delete any messages instead of the previous time frame of one hour, eight minutes, and 16 seconds.

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WhatsApp increases the time to delete messages and much more

Head of WhatsApp, Will Cathcart, recently tweeted that WhatsApp would be bringing various privacy features like allowing users to hide their online status from contacts, leave a group without notifying all the members, and block users from taking screenshots of views once messages are sent.

The messaging app is also working on a new feature that will allow group admins to delete chats sent by any group member. This feature is currently only available to beta users.The popular social media app has also released a migration tool for users moving from iOS to Android and from Android to iOS.

The macOS beta version of the app is also currently available. This version is based on Apple’s Catalyst framework that will act as an an intermediary layer. The new version will have a lot of added features prioritizing ease of use. It is also going to be faster than the previous Electron version. However, both the mac and mobile versions are still in the beta stage, and users are eagerly waiting to check out the new features.

Apple has also added a feature to delete messages from the iMessage app in the iOS 16 beta. But while WhatsApp has increased the time period to delete sent messages, Apple has moved in the opposite direction. In iOS 16 beta 4, they decreased the allotted time to delete sent messages from fifteen minutes to two minutes.

Apple believes that some users may have been misusing this feature to edit and delete sent messages, which is why they have shortened the time period. However, popular internet-based messaging app Telegram lets its users edit and delete messages without any time limit. Many users have moved to Telegram from WhatsApp due to their concerns about data theft. Since then, Telegram has made noticeable improvements for its users and is currently working on adding a scheduled messaging feature.

Some WhatsApp users are demanding that developers also remove the text that reads "This message was deleted," as they believe it counters the purpose of deleting a message. Some are requesting separate sections for family, friends, and work related chats.

Despite China having banned WhatsApp and the domination of iMessage in the US, WhatsApp is still the most popular messaging app in the world. However, it remains to be seen if the app manages to keep up with the expectations of its users, maintaining its position in a highly competitive market.