14 DAY TRIAL // WhatsApp has officially been updated with a new feature that allows users to share photos and videos that can only be viewed by their contacts once, after which they are completely erased.
The feature originally started showing up for the first waves of users earlier this month, but according to an official announcement shared this week, the rollout is now under away for everyone on iPhone and Android.
The Facebook-owned company says end-to-end encryption is also enabled for content shared via the “View Once” feature, so not even WhatsApp can see them.
“We’re rolling out new View Once photos and videos that disappear from the chat after they’ve been opened, giving users even more control over their privacy. For example, you might send a View Once photo of some new clothes you’re trying on at a store, a quick reaction to a moment in time, or something sensitive like a Wi-Fi password,” WhatsApp announced.
“As with all the personal messages you send on WhatsApp, View Once media is protected by end-to-end encryption so WhatsApp cannot see them. They will also be clearly marked with a new “one-time” icon.”
How to send a photo or video using the View Once option
Using this feature is pretty straightforward, as WhatsApp has added a dedicated “1” icon next to the message box when sharing media content with a contact.
Tapping this option enables this feature, letting your contact view the content just once. Once viewed, the content is no longer available, with the “Opened” message showing up in the conversation instead of the thumbnail used to preview the media.
The feature is obviously available on both iPhone and Android, and you must be running the latest app version to get it.