Vanish Mode on Messenger & Instagram: Facebook's Snapchat Clone

Facebook has announced the arrival of its new ephemeral messaging capability, similar to Snapchat’s disappearing messages, called Vanish Mode, for both Messenger and Instagram.

This feature is intended for more informal exchanges, enabling users to establish chats that will automatically delete once the message has been viewed and the chat window is closed, according to Facebook.

However, unlike Snapchat, Vanish Mode isn't activated by default. Users must intentionally turn it on within an ongoing conversation by swiping upwards on the screen of their mobile device.

When first activated, a screen will appear explaining how Vanish Mode functions. It also informs users that they will receive a notification if someone captures a screenshot of the conversation – mirroring a similar feature found on Snapchat.

With user safety in mind, Facebook continues to support blocking and reporting functionalities within Vanish Mode. If a conversation participant submits a report, the disappearing messages will be preserved for up to one hour after they have disappeared, allowing Facebook to review the content and take appropriate measures if necessary.

Vanish Mode requires active participation – users must choose to enter a Vanish Mode chat. Furthermore, it only operates with contacts already connected to the user on the platform, Facebook clarifies.

Once Vanish Mode is active, the screen’s appearance will change to a darker theme to indicate the shift. To deactivate Vanish Mode, users can tap the “Turn Off Vanish Mode” button located at the top of the screen.

Facebook initially revealed its intentions for Vanish Mode as part of a broader overhaul of the Instagram messaging experience in September. This update included the ability for users of Instagram and Messenger to communicate seamlessly across both applications, alongside other new features.

As part of that update, Instagram incorporated several features inspired by Messenger, such as the option to customize chat colors or respond using any emoji. While announced at that time, the Vanish Mode feature was initially slated for release “soon.”

It’s important to note that Vanish Mode isn’t intended for users seeking complete conversation security. Although the feature utilizes end-to-end encryption, Facebook already provides a dedicated end-to-end encrypted conversations feature (Secret Conversations). The primary goal of Vanish Mode is to compete with a key feature offered by Snapchat.

This approach is consistent with Facebook’s recent strategy. The company previously adopted the Stories format popularized by Snapchat, and now that feature alone on its platforms attracts a larger audience (over 500 million users) than all of Snapchat (249 million).

To access Vanish Mode and other recent updates to Instagram messaging, users must first opt-in to the upgrade. These new features are being presented as incentives to encourage Instagram users to accept the upgrade.

This upgrade further integrates users into the Facebook ecosystem by enabling cross-platform communication with contacts on Facebook. WhatsApp may also be incorporated into this cross-platform communication strategy in the future.

After upgrading, users can utilize a single messaging application to connect with friends and family on two of the world’s largest social networks. With additions like Vanish Mode, they can also access features found on competing applications. Simultaneously, with Reels on Instagram, Facebook aims to attract users of TikTok.

Facebook states that Vanish Mode is launching today on Messenger in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Peru and Bangladesh, and on Instagram (shortly) in Canada, Argentina, Chile, Peru and select other countries. The company plans to expand availability to additional countries on both platforms in the near future.