Sending disappearing pictures on Facebook Messenger is a great way to share fun or silly photos with friends and family without having them saved permanently. Facebook Messenger’s disappearing photos feature allows you to send a photo or video that your recipient can only view once before it disappears from the conversation. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to send a disappearing picture on Facebook Messenger.
What are Disappearing Messages on Messenger?
Disappearing messages, including photos and videos, are content that is automatically deleted after the recipient has opened and viewed it once. This provides more privacy and helps reduce clutter in conversations on Facebook Messenger. Once the disappearing message is opened, it will notify the sender that it has been seen. After that view, it will be permanently deleted.
Some key things to know about disappearing messages on Messenger:
- Recipient can only view it once before it disappears
- Sender is notified when recipient opens the disappearing message
- Message is permanently deleted after being viewed once
- Can send disappearing photos, videos, text messages, etc.
- Great for sharing silly, embarrassing, or private content without a permanent digital record
Enable Disappearing Messages
To send a disappearing photo or message on Messenger, you first need to enable disappearing messages in your Messenger settings. Here’s how:
- Open the Facebook Messenger app on your smartphone or tablet
- Tap on your profile icon in the top left
- Go to the Privacy section in Settings
- Tap on Disappearing Messages
- Toggle on Disappearing Messages to enable the feature
You can choose whether you want messages to disappear after 5 seconds, 15 minutes, 1 hour, 4 hours, 24 hours or 7 days. Select your preferred timeframe. This setting will apply to all disappearing content you send or receive going forward.
Send a Disappearing Photo
Once you have disappearing messages enabled, sending a disappearing photo is easy:
- Open your Messenger conversation with a friend or group
- Tap the camera icon to take a new photo directly in Messenger or tap the image icon to select a photo from your camera roll
- Take or select your photo as you normally would
- Before sending, tap the infinity icon at the bottom left – this makes the message disappear after being viewed once
- Tap Send
Your photo will now have a timer icon on it signaling that it’s set to disappear. The recipient will only be able to view the image once before it is permanently deleted from the conversation. You’ll get a notification after they’ve opened it.
Send a Disappearing Video
Sending a disappearing video works the same way:
- Open your Messenger conversation
- Tap the camera icon then switch to video mode to capture a new clip directly in Messenger or tap the image icon to select a saved video from your camera roll
- Select or record your video
- Tap the infinity icon before sending to make it disappear after being viewed once
- Hit Send
The video will play once for the recipient and then disappear just like a photo. Great for sharing funny or silly videos easily!
Disappearing Message Safety Tips
Disappearing messages can be fun but it’s also important to use them safely and responsibly. Keep these tips in mind:
- Don’t send any truly private, sensitive or illegal content.
- Remember the recipient can screenshot or record the message before it disappears without you knowing.
- Make sure any people in a photo or video consent to you sending it.
- Don’t rely on disappearing messages as your only form of digital privacy or security.
- Report any harassing or abusive disappearing messages through Messenger.
Use common sense and good judgement when deciding what to send as a disappearing message. While they provide more privacy, nothing digital is ever truly private.
Troubleshooting Disappearing Messages
If you’re having trouble with disappearing messages on Messenger, here are some steps to try:
- Make sure you have the latest version of the Messenger app
- Confirm disappearing messages are enabled in your settings
- Check your internet connection
- Restart your smartphone
- Make sure you tap the infinity icon before sending a photo/video to make it disappear
- The recipient may have their disappearing messages setting turned off
- Try sending with another user to see if the issue persists
If the problem continues, you may want to report it directly to Facebook. Disappearing messages are a fun and convenient Messenger feature when working properly!
Conclusion
Sending disappearing photos and videos on Facebook Messenger is easy and fun! Simply enable disappearing messages in your Messenger settings, take or select a photo/video, tap the infinity icon to make it disappear, and hit send. The recipient will be able to view the message once before it is permanently deleted. Disappearing messages are a great way to share silly or private moments without cluttering up your conversations. Use them responsibly and enjoy this convenient feature on Facebook Messenger!