WhatsApp Developing Shortcut to Quickly Send View-Once Images and Videos on Latest Beta: Report

WhatsApp view-once images and videos allow you to send images and videos to other users that can be opened only once, and the company is working on a tweak to the interface that will make sharing these messages easier than before. According to details shared by WABetaInfo, a WhatsApp feature tracker, the application will allow users to quickly share an image or video from their camera roll with a couple of taps. WhatsApp is also working on the ability to send other message types as view-once messages, which suggests it may become the default method of sending them in the future.

Instead of tapping the "1" icon in the caption window when sending an image or video on WhatsApp, the latest version of WhatsApp beta adds a feature that will let users quickly send a view-once message — pressing and holding the send button, according to a WABetaInfo report. Instead of sending the image or video, users will see a pop-up menu with a single Send as view once option above the send button.

WhatsApp's new send as view once button is still in development
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

The feature, which was spotted in development on WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.18.3, cannot currently be tested on the latest beta versions of the app on iOS and Android. It is expected to roll out to beta testers first, before the company pushes the update to all users. At the moment, the ability to send media as view-once messages only works for images and videos — GIFs are not currently supported.

When the feature is rolled out to beta testers, those who have signed up for beta updates will see a prompt that appears above the send button on WhatsApp on the image/video sending preview. A message appears stating: Press and hold to send as a view once message. This must be followed up with the option Send as view once, according to WABetaInfo.

The feature tracker claims that the view once feature on WhatsApp itself is set to move to the new design, which means that the "1" icon could disappear from the caption section. According to previous reports, the company is working on extending support for view-once messages to audio (voice notes) and text messages in the future.

According to a recent report, WhatsApp has begun testing a feature that will allow users to generate stickers using artificial intelligence (AI). The app will accept prompts from users such as "cat laughing on a skateboard" and generate stickers automatically. The platform is also allowing users to lock their chats behind a password on WhatsApp Web, according to details shared by the feature tracker.