has introduced an option called Keep in Chat, which allows users to prevent messages from disappearing in a thread. You can long press on a message to make it stay in the thread. However, the person who sent the message will be notified and will ultimately decide whether to keep it in the chat. Otherwise, the message will fade into the ether as usual when the timer runs out.
A bookmark icon will appear next to saved messages. You can access all the ones you’ve saved in a Saved Messages folder, where they’re organized by chat. WhatsApp says it is rolling out the feature gradually and everyone should have access within a few weeks.
On the surface, it seems that Keep in Chat undermines the whole point of disappearing messages. However, WhatsApp suggested in a blog post that there may be times when you need to save a message (such as a voice memo or someone’s address) that includes important details. In either case, the senders will have the option to ban saved messages and perhaps protect their privacy.
