WhatsApp has recently started providing global support for its “View Once” feature for voice messages.
This update comes a few months after the feature was initially introduced in the beta versions of the app on both Android and iOS platforms.
“View Once,” initially launched in 2021 for photos and videos, allows recipients to view these types of media only once, with no option for screenshots or saving. This feature is now extended to include voice messages.
Voice messages sent using the View Once feature will display a unique icon indicating they can be played only once and will be automatically deleted from the recipient’s device after being listened to. This functionality is available in both individual and group chats.
While these messages will be end-to-end encrypted, WhatsApp can still access them if a one-time voice message is reported.
In an earlier press statement, WhatsApp suggested using this feature for sensitive information like sharing credit card details with a friend or discussing surprise plans.
However, more informal uses like venting about one’s boss or expressing romantic or intimate thoughts were noted, although such examples were understandably omitted from the official, more family-oriented press release by Meta.
WhatsApp recently introduced a feature allowing users to pin chats in both individual and group conversations.
This new functionality permits the pinning of various types of conversations, including texts, polls, images, and emojis, but it’s limited to one pinned chat at a time.
To pin a chat, users of the Meta-owned messaging app need to long-press on a conversation and choose “Pin” from the emerging menu. The options for the duration of the pin include 24 hours, one week (the default setting), and 30 days.
