WhatsApp group chats could soon be set to self-destruct

Have you ever had to create a group chat on WhatsApp for an event or a gathering, and then once the occasion is over never use the group again? If that sounds like you, and if your WhatsApp currently has a bunch of old, unused group chats that take up space, you might be pleased to know that WhatsApp is apparently beta testing self-destructing group chats on the messaging platform.

Found by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp has already pushed a new update to the iOS TestFlight beta program, version 23.5.0.71. Users with this beta update found that there’s a new feature for group chats called ‘Expiring Groups’. Essentially, it adds a new option to your group chat settings where users in the group can turn on an expiry date for the group, ranging from one day, one week or even set a custom date for it. Once it reaches that date, you’ll then be prompted by WhatsApp to ‘clean up’ the group. This won’t delete the group chat for everyone in it though, but rather applies on a per-user level, meaning whoever turned on the Expiring Groups function will have it deleted off their WhatsApp.

It’s a reasonably sound solution to the common issue of users having way too many old group chats that are no longer in use. You probably have a number of dormant group chats on your WhatsApp right now too, ranging from birthday party invites, old classmates you don’t talk to anymore and ex-colleagues from your former job. Expiring Groups thus should be able to help users not just clean up their WhatsApp, but also minimise the storage size of their chat backups, making it easier to migrate over to a new phone when it happens.

This would be the latest move by WhatsApp when it comes to self-destructing messages. If you’re into sending sensitive information or content you don’t want others to be able to keep forever, WhatsApp already has a number of features on its messaging platform for you, such as disappearing messages, the ability to unsend texts and to only let the person you’re sending a picture to view it once. Unfortunately, there’s no set date on when WhatsApp will actually roll out Expiring Groups for end users just yet, as it’s currently only on iOS devices enrolled into its TestFlight beta program for now.