WhatsApp Spotted Working on 'View Once' Text Messages on Latest Android Beta

WhatsApp 'view once' text messages may block screenshots to prevent the message from being saved.

Written by Himani Jha, Edited by David Delima | Updated: 12 December 2022 20:34 IST

WhatsApp Spotted Working on 'View Once' Text Messages on Latest Android Beta

Photo Credit: Unsplash

WhatsApp currently supports sending 'view once' images and videos

Highlights

WhatsApp 'view once' messages are deleted once viewed
The feature is not available to beta testers at the moment
WhatsApp is also expected to bring this feature to iOS

WhatsApp has been spotted working on a feature that will add an extra layer of privacy to its users' messages. The messaging service currently allows users to send images and videos as "view once" messages. These are designed to disappear as soon as they have been viewed. A feature tracker has now spotted WhatsApp working on the ability to send "view once" text messages on Android. The feature is still being developed, which means that beta testers cannot try it out, even if they have the latest testing version installed on their phones.

According to a report by WhatsApp feature tracker WABetaInfo, the popular messaging service recenty rolled out version 2.22.25.20 of WhatsApp for Android through the Google Play Beta Program. This beta version of WhatsApp includes references to a feature that allows users to send "view once" text messages.

The view once feature for text messages spotted by a feature tracker.
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

As per the feature tracker, WhatsApp is working on a special button located next to the chat bar, where users type messages before they are sent. The button used to send messages is also displays a lock icon, according to the report, which says that the appearance of the feature might change before it is eventually released.

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WhatsApp currently blocks users from taking screenshots of "view once" images and videos. Additionally, it is not even possible to share, forward, copy, and save them. The feature tracker says it is possible that WhatsApp may also block screenshots when viewing "view once" messages in a future update.

The Meta-owned messaging service recently introduced a new feature called "Message Yourself" on iOS and Android letting users send or forward messages to themselves. WhatsApp users can forward messages to themselves from other chats, and even share content from other apps directly to a chat with themselves on WhatsApp.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp has also rolled out an enhancement for iOS users, letting them forward media with captions. iPhone owners will be able to add captions to forwarded media on WhatsApp, which can be manually removed. The feature is available in the latest version of the app on the App Store for users on iOS.

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