Instagram and Messenger get ‘vanish mode’ for disappearing chats

Facebook is giving users a new way to chat with disappearing messages. Messenger and Instagram will soon get a new “vanish mode” feature for ephemeral messages.

When enabled — via a swipe up on a chat — messages sent while in vanish mode will disappear as soon as you leave the conversation. And, like Snapchat, you’ll be notified if the person you’re chatting with takes a screenshot of a conversation. Messenger already had disappearing messages as part of its “secret conversation” feature, but it required several steps and setting a timer for each message to disappear individually. For Instagram, vanish mode is the first time users will be able to have the option to have their chats disappear, though it requires opting in to Instagram’s new Messenger-powered chat features.

Vanish mode is available to Messenger users in the US now and will expand to additional countries, and to Instagram, “soon.”