MANILA, Philippines – Messaging app Viber added a new feature that’s sure to raise a few eyebrows from Snapchat loyalists: disappearing messages.

Viber users are now able to activate what the app calls “Secret Chats”, in which users can set the amount of time that a sent message remains visible before it disappears. It’s a feature that Snapchat pioneered, but has since been adopted on rival platforms WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram. 

To activate the feature, tap the “+”sign on the “Chats” panel. Tap the “New Secret Chat” option, and choose up to 199 contacts with whom to communicate.

In the chat window, a timer button appears on the lower right portion which allows users to choose how long the message stays, ranging from 1 second to a number of hours to a week. The setting can be changed for each message. 

Regular chats can be switched to secret chats and vice versa. On Android, users will be able to take a screenshot of the messages; iOS users, on the other hand, will be able to do so, but the app will send a notification to the message sender. 

The new feature rolled out on Sunday, March 13. 

Viber is the second largest messaging app in the Philippines next to Facebook Messenger, according to digital marketing agency We Are Social’s 2017 report on the digital landscape. – Rappler.com