WhatsApp Said to Be Developing View-Once Text Messages Feature for iOS App

WhatsApp is reportedly working on view-once text messages for iPhone, a feature that could allow users to send written messages that disappear after being opened once. The functionality is expected to extend WhatsApp's existing view-once controls, which are currently available for photos, videos, and voice notes. If introduced, the feature could add another layer of privacy to the messaging platform by preventing recipients from saving, forwarding or retaining temporary text messages. The feature is still under development and not yet available to beta testers.

WhatsApp Developing View-Once Text Feature for iPhone

According to a post by feature tracker WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is developing support for view-once text messages within its iOS app. The feature is present in WhatsApp beta for iOS version 26.24.10.16, but it has not yet been enabled, even for users who have signed up to get beta updates via Apple's TestFlight programme.

Long press on send button could enable view-once texts
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

The development follows earlier reports that WhatsApp was working on a similar feature for Android. Once released, the option is expected to allow recipients to view a text message only once, after which it becomes inaccessible.

The report states that users will be able to activate the feature by long-pressing the send button after composing a message. A menu option labelled Send as view once is expected to appear before the message is sent. The functionality is said to work in both individual and group chats, but it is not expected to be supported in channels.

According to WABetaInfo, these messages will be subject to restrictions similar to those applied to view-once media. Recipients may be prevented from copying, forwarding, sharing, screenshotting, or screen recording the content within the app.

Some users currently use view-once images as a workaround for sharing temporary text. The upcoming feature would provide a dedicated way to send temporary text messages. If introduced, it would further expand WhatsApp's privacy tools, which already include end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages and view-once media.