Expired auto-delete messages remain visible until app reconnects/refreshes on macOS client

[md4956]

• Operating System (Linux/Mac/Windows/iOS/Android): Mac

• Delta Chat Version: v2.35.0

• Expected behavior:

  • Messages with 24h auto-delete timer should disappear automatically once expired.
  • Deletion should be handled locally and must not depend on reconnecting or refreshing messages.

• Actual behavior:

  • Messages older than 24 hours remained visible.
  • Messages disappeared only after app gained focus and refreshed connection.
  • Expired messages were visible for ~10–15 seconds during reconnect.

• Steps to reproduce the problem:

  1. Set message auto-delete to 24 hours
  2. Send messages
  3. Leave DeltaChat running in background
  4. Keep device mostly online
  5. Wait >24 hours
  6. Bring DeltaChat to foreground
  7. Observe expired messages still visible until refresh completes

• Screenshots:

• Logs:

• Additional details:

  • Device: MacBook Pro
  • OS: macOS Tahoe 26.3
  • Account type: private server
  • Server accessibility: direct connection (no proxy/VPN)
  • Network state: internet connected most of the time
  • Was app running? yes, backgrounded
  • Laptop power state: unplugged

• Timing-related details:

  • Messages sent: Sat Feb 21 2026, 09:20–09:41 (local time)
  • Auto-delete timer: 24h
  • Messages still visible at: Sun Feb 22 2026, 21:47 (same timezone, ~36h later)

Expired messages appear to be deleted only after server synchronization instead of local expiration timer.

[r10s]

are you talking about "chat menu / disappearing messages" or about "settings / chats / delete messages from device"?

[md4956]

I’m referring to chat menu > disappearing messages.

The disappearing messages feature was enabled for that specific group chat only, and not the global setting under Settings > Chats > Delete messages from device.

[WofWca]

I haven't tried to reproduce this yet, but this might have to do with the overall terrible slowness of Delta Chat during message sync. See https://support.delta.chat/t/sync-order-and-performance-seems-like-a-fundamental-roadblock-for-multi-device-right-now/3606?u=wofwca.

[md4956]

Thanks for the link, I reviewed it. And I experience it every time I connect to my deltachat account on my multiple devices.
However, the number of daily messages are relatively low on my account, 50 max, and this syncing process usually takes under 2 to 4 seconds for me.
Because of that, I’m not sure this is the root cause of the issue. That said, running a test should help confirm whether it is the cause (or somehow related to or affecting the behavior).