Deactivate Vanish Mode on Instagram

Instagram’s vanish mode is a feature that lets messages disappear after both the reader and sender leave the chat. Instagram introduced this feature in 2020, and it works on all types of content, including text, photos, stickers, and even voice messages.

The point of Instagram's vanish mode is that it allows people to send content they do not necessarily want the receiver to be able to save. What is important to remember is that if you activate vanish mode in DMs, you cannot copy or save messages, but the receiver can still take screenshots of your content.

Vanish mode is also available on Messenger and allows users to send direct messages that disappear when both users read the message and leave the chat.

How Does Vanish Mode Work?

Vanish mode is pretty straightforward on both Instagram and Messenger. Whatever you send disappears after the recipient views it and leaves the chat. In addition to making chats more private, vanish mode also helps save storage space.

Should I Enable Vanish Mode in the First Place?

Not everyone needs to use vanish mode. However, if you do not want specific people to check your chat logs or see your messages, you will benefit from this feature. Vanish mode makes it much harder for cybercriminals to access your information during a data breach.

On the technical side, this feature will help you keep your chat logs uncluttered and keep your device working at optimal speed. Too many messages can take up a lot of storage, slowing down your phone or computer.

If you have to speak to someone you do not know well or cannot trust, vanishing mode will prevent this person from using your content against you. It is crucial, however, to use a chat app that works well with vanish mode. It should delete the messages on both sides of the conversation, much like the similar WhatsApp feature.

If you want to turn on vanish mode for your Instagram account, you can open the app and tap on the arrow in the top right corner. Go to the relevant conversation and swipe up. This enables the vanishing mode feature between you and that particular contact.

Turning Off Vanish Mode

If you want to turn off the vanish mode feature, the process is the same for iPhone and Android users. Open the app and access your messages. Open a chat with vanish mode enabled and swipe up to disable it. Sometimes, you need to hold for a second or two to trigger the deactivation.

When the black background changes back to the regular white one, you have successfully turned off the vanish mode feature. Any messages and content sent after that will remain visible to you and the recipient.

What Happens If Vanish Mode Will Not Turn Off

Things often go haywire when trying to turn settings and features on and off on Instagram. If, for some reason, you cannot turn off the vanish feature, you can try clearing the cache of the Instagram app. The cache-clearing option is within your device’s settings.

If this does not work, you can try restarting your phone or uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

Alternative Method of Turning Off Vanish Mode

There is also an alternative way of turning off vanish mode. Open the app and access chat settings. Select Privacy and Safety and toggle off the vanish mode option under Message Controls.

This will turn off the feature for all direct messages. It is vital to double-check that you have indeed disabled vanish mode, so make sure it says ‘off’ and that the toggle is also in the off position. You will go to the same place if you want to turn on vanish mode again later on.

Things to Consider When Using Vanish Mode

There are several things to consider when using the Instagram Vanish feature. For instance, any messages sent or received while in vanish mode will disappear once vanish mode is disabled. There is currently no way of retrieving these messages.

Again, just because the content disappears after both parties leave the chat does not mean the recipient cannot screenshot the information. Some people may use airplane mode to screenshot messages, while others use third-party apps. Some even use screen recording software, but you should get a notification that a recording is taking place.

The safest way to prevent people from using information against you is to not send the information at all. Also, swiping up activates and deactivates vanish mode. Mind against accidental swipes because it can turn off vanish mode, and you may not notice until it is too late.

Lastly, let the recipient know when you are turning off vanish mode. Doing this is especially important if you are discussing sensitive topics.

When Vanish Mode Works Best

Generally speaking, the vanish mode feature works better when you use it in casual conversation or share non-important information. Often, the risk of screenshots or accidentally disabling vanish mode is too big to send sensitive information to another person.

You could also use the close friends feature instead of vanish mode. This will allow you to share content with designated followers without everything becoming public or at risk of falling into the wrong hands.

Keep in mind that there is no replay option in vanish mode. There is also no notification if someone takes a screenshot. These are risk factors to remember when considering using vanish mode.

And, the security of this feature is not always on the same level as end-to-end encryption, even though vanish mode messages are encrypted too. It is possible to get a higher level of security and privacy by incorporating disappearing message apps.

What If Someone Uses Vanish Mode Inappropriately?

Moreover, you can also report someone you chat to in vanish mode. If the other person sends inappropriate content or behaves improperly while chatting with you, you can report them directly to Instagram.

Using Vanish Mode or Not: It Is Up To You

Before using vanish mode, consider the type of content you want to share and the impact it will have if others use it against you. Vanish mode is not foolproof, so sometimes it is simply better to keep specific information to yourself.