Meta-owned WhatsApp is testing a new feature called 'Kept Messages' that may allow users to save messages before they are deleted permanently. According to tech site WABetaInfo, 'kept messages' are simply disappearing messages but without an expiration time. While everyone can decide to retain a disappearing message in the conversation, regardless of its expiration time, they can also decide to unkeep it later, so the message gets an expiration time again: removing them from kept messages is useful when you don’t want the disappearing message to be kept in the chat.
This new feature is still under development and is for those users who want to keep all the WhatsApp messages permanently, without them disappearing after a certain amount of time.
WhatsApp's 'Kept Messages' Feature: How It Works
Currently, WhatsApp has a 'Disappearing Messages' feature that, once enabled, deletes all the messages in a chat automatically after a certain interval of time, depending upon the timer set by the user or group admin. In the disappearing messages feature, users can set a timer for 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days after which all the messages in a selected chat will disappear. However, if someone doesn't want the messages to disappear, the new 'Kept messages' feature comes in, which if enabled, does not let the messages fade away. This new feature will retain the messages even if the 'Disappear Messages' option is turned on. Currently, this feature is available for Android 2.22.20.3 only. It is likely that beta users will get this feature first. However, there is still no information about when the feature will be rolled out to all WhatsApp users.
WhatsApp's New Incoming Updates
Besides the 'Kept Messages' feature, WhatsApp will likely update some new features to keep the users hooked to the platform. These include the following:
Delete Messages Feature: This allows users to delete the messages they have sent to their chats within a period of 2 days and 12 hours. Currently, users can delete messages only within an hour after they are sent.
Voice Status: Several reports suggest that people will soon be able to record voice messages on WhatsApp and post them as a status. The feature is same like Instagram and Snapchat.
Recover Deleted Messages: WhatsApp will soon introduce an interesting feature for its users which allows them to recover deleted messages within seconds. This is for users who delete their messages accidentally.
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