Facebook has embraced the self-destructing message feature that its stablemate WhatsApp rolled out a few weeks ago.
It’s called ‘Vanish Mode’ and it can be found inside Facebook Messenger.
When activated, it will put a time limit on how long your messages appear in the other person’s inbox.
Once the timer runs out, it’s gone forever. The feature could be used for sensitive or private chats that you don’t want to be hanging around forever.
And, because Facebook is also integrated with Instagram, Vanish Mode will also work on any messages sent on Insta. As well as messages, it also works with stickers and other media you want to send.
It’s really easy to switch on and off as you need.
How to turn on Vanish Mode on Facebook and Instagram
Once you’ve opened up Facebook Messenger, here’s how you send a self-destructing message with Vanish Mode:
- Tap the icon in the top right-hand corner that looks like a pencil inside a square.
- Press the word ‘secret’ in the top right-hand corner. On an Android device, it’s a sliding padlock icon.
- Choose the person you want to have a secret conversation with.
- Type your message.
- Click on the timer to the left of the text box and choose how long you want the message to be visible for.
- Send your message.
You can also quickly enable Vanish Mode while you’re messaging someone by just swiping up whilst you’re composing your message.
