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WhatsApp today introduced a new feature in its iOS and Android apps that lets users send photos and videos that disappear after they're opened. View Once, as the name suggests, deletes the content immediately after the recipient has viewed it, similar to what Snapchat and Instagram do.
As the Facebook-owned company announced in a blog post explained, users sometimes want to share sensitive content that they don't want to be permanently recorded. With View Once, they can ensure that the media disappears forever after it's opened.
That's why today we're introducing view-only photos and videos that disappear from chat once they've been opened. This gives users even more control over their privacy. For example, you might send a view-only photo of clothes you're trying on in the store, a spontaneous moment, or something confidential like a Wi-Fi password.
WhatsApp One-Time View: How to activate the feature
Like all personal messages sent on WhatsApp, media in One View mode is end-to-end encrypted, the company says. It's also clearly marked with a new "one view" icon. To enable One View mode for media on WhatsApp, simply tap the "1" button before sending a photo or video.
Single view was previously available to WhatsApp beta users via TestFlight and is now being rolled out to all users with the latest app update available on the App Store. The update also brings a new design for in-app notifications. (Image: WhatsApp)
