The much-awaited new WhatsApp feature for photos and videos has been launched on Android last month.
So, what is this ‘View Once’ feature all about?
This new feature is good for communicating sensitive information. While for some cases, people use this feature to send an unglam or candid image/video for fun and they just want to let their recipients view it once, not wishing the recipients to save the photos or videos in their phone galleries. Whatever the purpose for this might be, its release has been much awaited by WhatsApp users.
As mentioned above and as the name suggests, the new feature will allow you to send pictures and videos that can only be viewed once. It also comes with notification when the recipient has already opened it. The media then will disappear from the chat when the recipient has viewed it.
This actually allows users to save up on space.
How do you know that your WhatsApp already has this new feature?
While you are sharing your media on WhatsApp, just simply check if there is a ‘view once’ option.
Photo Courtesy of WABetaInfo
Some things to take note:
1. You can disable the read receipts option. When disabled, your recipient will still be able to see if you have opened the photo or video to view once. But, you cannot see when the recipient opens your media.
Photo Courtesy of WABetaInfo
2. In group chat, even if you have disabled the read receipts, you can still see when the participants in the group open the photos. Blocked contacts can still view photos or videos if you are in a common group with them.
3. You can screenshot the expiring photo or screen recording the expiring video and your sender will not know about it as WhatsApp does not have screenshot detection.
4. When you send an expiring photo to people who do not have this feature enabled, the ‘View Once’ feature will still work.
5. WhatsApp beta for Android 2.21.14.3 is mentioned to be the compatible version for this new feature. As for iOS beta testers, the activation will come later.
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References: Geo News (website)
