Disappearing messages on social have been a hot trend for quite some time now. And while Snapchat started the trend, Facebook has recently launched a Vanish Mode for Messenger and Instagram. This new feature will erase any messages you have sent in a chat as soon as you leave the chat. With this new feature, you can have more fun, intimate conversations with your friends without having to worry so much about what you’re saying, as the chat history won’t come back to haunt you.
How to use Vanish Mode:
- Go to an existing chat thread.
- Swipe up, and you’re in Vanish Mode!
- Swipe up again to turn it off and go back to your regular chat mode.
Facebook has also made sure to keep safety in mind with this new feature.
When using Vanish Mode:
- Only people you are connected with are able to use Vanish Mode in a chat with you.
- You can choose whether you want to enter Vanish Mode with another user.
- You will be notified if someone takes a screenshot of your chat when in Vanish Mode.
- You can block or report a conversation if you are feeling unsafe.
Although we’ve seen features similar to Vanish Mode before such as with Snapchat messaging, the simple swipe-up option of turning the disappearing messaging on/off may make Vanish Mode a more popular option. Either way, this new feature makes messaging a little more exciting on Messenger and Instagram Direct.
The feature is now available on Messenger to users in the U.S. and a few other countries, as well as a select few Instagram users. Facebook plans to expand Vanish Mode globally, so look out for the update and start testing it out!
Sources:
Hutchinson, Andrew. “Facebook Adds New ‘Vanish Mode’ Disappearing Messages in Messenger.” SocialMediaToday, 12 November 2020, www.socialmediatoday.com/news/facebook-adds-new-vanish-mode-disappearing-messages-in-messenger/.
Chudnovsky, Stan. Mosseri, Adam. “Introducing New Messaging Features for Instagram.” MessengerNews, 30 September 2020, messengernews.fb.com/2020/09/30/say-hi-to-messenger-introducing-new-messaging-features-for-instagram/.