WhatsApp is currently developing a feature that will enable users to share photos and videos in their original, uncompressed quality.
This development was noticed by WABetaInfo, which found an option in the version 2.23.18.12 beta of WhatsApp for Android that allows users to “select original quality photos or videos.” These media files will be treated as documents within the app.
The app‘s document picker will have a new “choose from gallery” option, specifying the capability to send photos and videos in their original quality.
Previously, sending media in original quality required a workaround involving changing the file extensions to formats like PDF or DOC. However, this new feature eliminates the need for that process. This improvement was first identified in WhatsApp’s code in January.
While a recent update introduced the option to send “HD” pictures by toggling a setting in the app, WhatsApp still applies compression to these images before sending. The same applied to sending up to 720p videos, which became widely accessible recently.
The prospect of sending original quality photos and videos is a positive development, particularly for Android and iOS users, as it allows for easy sharing of media in their complete resolution.
In the same vein, recent screenshots now indicate that Meta has been working on a new message menu for WhatsApp, aiming to improve the accessibility of this feature.
This followed WhatsApp’s announcement in 2021 about allowing users to send photos and videos that could only be viewed once.
Meanwhile, users can designate media as viewable only once by tapping an icon in the caption bar during the sending process.
