WhatsApp introduces ‘view once’ feature for web, desktop users; here's what it is

Facebook-owned messaging platform WhatsApp has introduced a new 'view once' feature for Android beta users, which allows sending photos and videos as disappearing messages that get deleted automatically after being seen once.

WhatsApp is initially rolling out the new feature for web and desktop users. The same feature will also be offered to iOS users soon.

The new feature was recently spotted on an Android beta version. However, it is not currently available for users on mobile and is apparently being tested on WhatsApp web.

Users can find this feature in the new version 2.2126.11, which is being rolled out in a phased manner for WhatsApp's web platform. This new feature is similar to Snapchat's disappearing messages.

Photos and videos sent using the new 'view once' feature disappears after the recipient opens them once. Additionally, if this new feature is already available for users' WhatsApp account, they will see a view once button while sending the media.

The Facebook-owned company last year introduced a disappearing messages feature that allows user conversations to disappear after seven days. WhatsApp, unlike other messaging apps, doesn't allow users to set how long the messages would be available and automatically deletes messages after one week.

However, WhatsApp still doesn't provide a screenshot detection alert with this feature, which means if a user takes a screenshot of the content sent via the view once feature, they can still keep a record of it without the sender's knowledge.

Apart from this feature, WhatsApp is also releasing a new archive feature for more web and desktop users. Users can also restore their old archive from WhatsApp settings for Android as well as iOS. The archive feature is also being rolled out in a phased manner and will be available for users soon.

Also Read: Airtel conducts 5G network trial in Mumbai, achieves download speed of 1.2 gbps
Also Read: India's retail inflation eases to 6.26% in June; May industrial output rises to 29.3%
Also Read: India at start of a virtuous cycle; will become $15 trillion economy in 2 decades: Gautam Adani