WhatsApp update: Messaging app to bring THIS feature back for web users

By Team Asianet Newsable  |  First Published Nov 27, 2023, 12:07 PM IST

WhatsApp is bringing back the the ability for desktop users to send view once videos and photos, enhancing user privacy.  The feature will allow users to send temporary media that disappears after being viewed.


WhatsApp is now reintroducing the ability for its desktop users to send view once videos to contacts. Last year, the Meta-owned instant messaging app removed the ability to send and open view once photos and videos from the web version, a decision that was met with criticism from some users. Now, WhatsApp has changed its mind, realising how crucial the view once function is to improving user privacy.

With WhatsApp's view once function, users may share short-lived material without it getting stored to the recipient's gallery, just like with Snapchat. Sharing private or sensitive content is made easier with this function, which makes sure the material can't be saved permanently on the recipient's device and is only available for a short period of time.

Tap to resize

Latest Videos

Tap to resize

 

Also Read | Redmi K70 Pro design revealed, confirmed to feature Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC & more

WAbetainfo reports that WhatsApp is now re-enabling the see once functionality for images and videos in desktop programmes running on Windows and macOS. With the use of this function, users may send brief media that vanishes once the receiver views it once. This feature of user privacy can be activated within the caption bar of the drawing editor on WhatsApp for Windows. Additionally, the feature is accessible to users on macOS and linked devices.

Photos and videos sent using the "view once" option cannot be shared, starred, saved, or forwarded. If the receiver has read receipts enabled, the sender can only ascertain whether the recipient has viewed a "view once" photo or video. If the recipient fails to open the photo or video within 14 days of its transmission, the media will automatically vanish from the conversation.

Apart from its temporal aspect, the "view once" function requires the sender to specifically choose to "view once" each time they transfer material of this kind. When content is delivered with the "view once" option, it is only meant to be viewed once and cannot be shared, saved, or forwarded. Once the recipient opens the "view once" photo or video, it disappears from the chat and is no longer accessible to the recipient.

Also Read | Oppo Pad Air 2 with 11.4-inch display, 8,000mAh battery launched in China; Check details

WhatsApp is also introducing a new voice chat feature that will be a less disruptive method to connect with large groups on the platform. Voice chats allow you to instantly talk live with members of a group chat while still being able to message in the group.

click me!