WhatsApp is said to be testing a new privacy feature ‘View Once’, that allows users to send media that disappears once the recipient has seen it. With Android version 2.21.14.3, the ‘view once’ feature is rolling out to some beta testers. It works in a similar way as disappearing messages, only there is no time limit and the photographs or videos instantly disappear after the recipient has viewed them once. There is currently no word on when the ‘view once’ feature will be coming to a stable version of WhatsApp.
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WhatsApp ‘View Once’ Feature
In November of last year, the Facebook-owned instant chatting service introduced the disappearing messages feature. Now it appears to be working on a similar feature for images and videos. WhatsApp update tracker WABetaInfo discovered the ‘view once’ feature under Android beta version 2.21.14.3. When you share a photo or video that is marked as ‘see once,’ it will instantly disappear from the receiver’s phone once they’ve seen it.
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When you upload a photo or video to the section where you add a caption, the option appears. Simply clicking on it activates the ‘View Once’ feature, and you’ll be notified when the receiver opens the media you sent on WhatsApp. You won’t be able to see whether and when the receiver has seen them if your read receipts are off. According to the publication, capturing screenshots is currently enabled for these ‘see once’ pictures and videos on the WhatsApp beta version with the feature; meaning that the recipient can capture a screenshot of the content before it is erased.
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The WhatsApp beta version’s ‘View Once’ feature works with both individual and group chats. In the group info, you may see who saw the media. Those who are not a user of the beta testing and will not have this feature. They will be able to receive but not send images and videos marked as “view once”. As previously stated, this feature is only accessible to a limited number of Android beta testers. No public release date has been set as of now. According to WABetaInfo, iOS beta testers will soon be able to use the “view once” feature.
Narender Kumar
Always on the quest to learn and share the knowledge. Big fan of books (but not the self help ones) specially fiction. A grammar Nazi who loves to eat, cook, travel and watching thunderstorms.