WhatsApp developing feature allowing ‘view once messages’

Instant messaging app WhatsApp, after introducing view once images, is working on another update similar to that.

The new update will allow users to send view once text messages, WaBetaInfo reported Friday.

WhatsApp is rolling out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.22.25.20. The feature is not yet ready to be released as it is still under development.

The screenshot above shows a new special button next to the chat bar with a lock symbol on it. This means that you are sending a view once message to another user.

“The view once text will disappear from the conversation when the recipient opens it so it is not possible to read the view once text again,” said the app tracking website.

As the app is still under development, the layout may change before it gets released.

The feature creates an extra layer of privacy for the users as it would not be possible to forward and copy view once text messages. The message will be deleted once seen by the other user. 

Presentation sheet 

Earlier this week, WaBetaInfo announced that WhatsApp will bring a new presentation sheet for the view once messages in the new update. 

Previously, WhatsApp introduced a screenshot protection feature for view once images and videos. This feature does not allow taking a screenshot of the picture the user sends via view once images.

“The presentation sheet for view once messages shows up within the drawing editor when you tap the view once icon. If this feature is enabled for your WhatsApp account, WhatsApp will inform you that the recipient can’t take a screenshot of it. As usual, it is not even possible to share, forward, copy, and save the view once image and video,” said the statement issued by the WhatsApp tracking website.

The new feature is available to some beta testers and will be rolled out to more users in the coming days.