WhatsApp might not be considered the most feature-rich texting app available but it’s making steady progress in setting its own Mark. Last year they had introduced the “disappearing messages” option and the well-received chat app is introducing a new feature this week “view once”. As suggested by the name, the view-once mode lets the user send images or videos that can be viewed only once. These messages are denoted with the number “1” in the chat for the recipient’s awareness. In the same manner, once opened, they will be noted as “opened” for the sender (if the recipient has ‘read receipts’ disabled it will not work).
Furthermore, you wouldn’t be able to start or forward such messages. If the view-once messages are unopened after being sent for 14 days, they will be expired and will get deleted. This model is dead useful for exchanging temporary media without jumbling your camera roll. This is because the app does not save the view-once media to your phone.
So how exactly do you use this feature?
You can use this feature by performing the following Steps to Send A “View Once” Message on WhatsApp
1. Open the chat in WhatsApp that you desire to send a picture/video and select the attachment button or the camera button to capture/select media
2. Click on “Gallery,” then browse your picture/video and select the one you require
3. Then, tap on the “1” right next to the send button so that you can share it as a view-once message.
This feature is still vulnerable to screenshots despite being considered as a privacy-focused addition. In simple words, the receiver still can take a screenshot of a view-once message without the consent or awareness of the sender. So, WhatsApp recommends sharing information of sensitive nature only with your trusted contacts. Just like with other messages, view-once messages are also end-to-end encrypted. However, the receiver can still report these messages to the chat app’s moderators.
Taking everything into consideration, the view-once mode is a brilliant option besides normal and disappearing messages. This new feature brings more fluidity for WhatsApp users who desires to choose how they can share their media
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