WhatsApp Rolls Out View Once Text Messages
WhatsApp has started rolling out View Once text messages, a new privacy feature that lets users send text messages that disappear as soon as the recipient reads them.
The feature, called View Once for text messages, is currently available to some Android beta users running WhatsApp version 2.26.45.6, according to WABetaInfo, as ProPakistani reported.
WhatsApp already supports View Once for photos, videos and voice messages. The latest update extends the same function to regular text messages.
How View Once text messages work
The new feature allows users to send a message that can only be opened once. To use it, users need to type their message in the chat box, press and hold the send button, and select View Once.
WhatsApp displays an explanation of the feature the first time it is used. Users must tap OK to continue.
After sending, the message does not display its contents directly in the conversation. Instead, the recipient must tap the message to open it in a separate viewing interface.
Once the recipient closes the message, it disappears and cannot be opened again. WhatsApp also marks the message as opened, allowing the sender to know it has been read if read receipts are enabled.
What recipients cannot do
WhatsApp has introduced several restrictions to prevent recipients from keeping copies of View Once text messages.
Recipients cannot copy, forward or save the message through the app. WhatsApp also blocks screenshots and screen recordings while the message is open.
Once the recipient has viewed and closed the message, neither the sender nor the recipient can access its contents again.
However, these protections are not completely foolproof. Someone could still photograph or record the message using another device, something WhatsApp cannot prevent.
When it reaches everyone
WhatsApp has been developing View Once text messages for several months. The feature is now available to selected users running WhatsApp beta version 2.26.45.6 on Android.
However, not every beta tester may receive it immediately. WhatsApp has not announced when the feature will become available to all Android users or whether it will arrive on iPhones at the same time.
According to WABetaInfo, the current implementation does not allow users to schedule View Once text messages. It remains unclear whether WhatsApp will introduce scheduling support before the feature becomes widely available.
Part of a wider privacy push
View Once text is the latest in a run of privacy features from WhatsApp. In October, WhatsApp began rolling out guest calls, letting people join a call from a browser without an account, with a waiting room and host approval for up to 32 participants.
That rollout and this one point the same way: WhatsApp is adding controls that let users share less, and keep what they share under tighter control. For Pakistani users, who rely on WhatsApp for family chats, business and official groups, a disappearing text option will be useful for one-time codes, addresses and other sensitive details.
The limits matter too. A View Once text still leaves the recipient free to photograph the screen with another phone, so it suits casual privacy rather than secrets that must never leak.
It has been a busy stretch for phone users in Pakistan. Apple Music launched in the country in October, Samsung’s Galaxy M08 and F08 arrived the same month, and Infinix followed with the Note 70 Pro and its 7,000mAh battery. The PTA has also been active on telecom rules, scrapping the one-year limit on reviewing licence conditions.
Frequently asked questions
What are View Once text messages on WhatsApp?
Text messages that can be opened once and then disappear. The recipient taps to open the message, and once it is closed it cannot be opened again.
Who can use View Once text messages now?
Selected users on WhatsApp beta version 2.26.45.6 for Android. WhatsApp has not announced a date for a wider rollout or for iPhones.
Can the recipient screenshot a View Once text?
No, WhatsApp blocks screenshots and screen recordings while the message is open. But someone could still photograph the screen with another device.
Can View Once texts be forwarded or saved?
No. Recipients cannot copy, forward or save the message through the app.
How is this different from disappearing messages?
Disappearing messages stay visible until a timer expires. View Once texts become inaccessible as soon as the recipient opens and closes them.
