How to Use WhatsApp View Once on Android, iOS: Step-by-Step Guide

Once you send a photo or video using the View Once feature, neither you nor the recipient will be able to view it again in your WhatsApp chat.

Advertisement
By Jagmeet Singh | Updated: 19 December 2021 10:00 IST
Highlights
  • WhatsApp has View Once in place to disappear media after it’s viewed
  • Users need to tap the View Once icon each time to use the feature
  • WhatsApp users may able to take a screenshot of view once media

WhatsApp recommends users to only send photos or videos with View Once enabled to trusted individuals

WhatsApp has a feature called View Once in place for both Android and iOS devices to let you send photos and videos that stay on the recipient's phone for a single view, and disappear after. It helps you share content which you don't want to remain available in your chat forever. The photos and videos shared using View Once will also not be saved in Photos or Gallery of the recipient's phone. WhatsApp brings ephemerality to some extent through the View Once feature.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can use WhatsApp's View Once feature on your Android or iOS device.

Advertisement

How to use WhatsApp View Once on Android and iOS

Before getting started with the steps on how you can use the View Once on WhatsApp, it is important to note that once you send a photo or video using the feature, you won't be able to view it again in the chat. You will also not be able to forward, save, star, or share the photos or videos you share with view once media enabled. Moreover, the photos and videos shared using the View Once feature will expire from the chat if they are not open within 14 days of them being sent.

  1. Open the latest version of WhatsApp on your device and select a photo or video that you want to show your contact for once.
  2. Tap the View Once icon available next to the caption bar. You will see an alert appearing at the middle of your content to confirm the activation of the feature.
  3. Now, hit the send button to share that photo or video with your contact.

It is worth pointing out that WhatsApp recommends users to only send photos or videos with View Once enabled to trusted individuals. It is simply because the recipient can take a screenshot or screen recording of the media before it disappears. You will not be informed or notified if a screenshot or screen recording is taken. The recipient can also take a photo or record a video of the media using a camera or other device before it disappears at their end.

Advertisement

Encrypted media that has been sent using View Once may also be stored on WhatsApp's servers for a few weeks after you have sent it, the company said. The media will also be shared with WhatsApp if the recipient chooses to report it on the app.


What are the best phones of 2021? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
Affiliate links may be automatically generated - see our ethics statement for details.
 

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Advertisement

Related Stories

Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Apple iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, Watch Series 12 and More: What to Expect
  2. Apple 'Surprise and Shine' Event LIVE: Foldable iPhone and More Expected
  3. Here's How Much Apple's First Foldable iPhone Could Cost
  4. Apple 'Surprise and Shine' Event Today: How to Watch iPhone Launch Event
  5. Xiaomi UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank and Two More Models Arrive in India
  6. Oppo A7 Pro Debuts With MediaTek Dimensity 6360 Max Chipset
  1. Apple Arcade to Add Pusheen’s First Game, River City Survivors and More on October 1
  2. Apple Event Last-Minute Leaks: iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro Models, Watch Series 12 to Reportedly Debut Today
  3. Sony WH-1000XM4C Launched Alongside WH-CH730N, WH-CH530 Headphones With Up to 55 Hours of Battery Life: Price, Features
  4. Oppo A7 Pro Launched With 8,000mAh Battery, MediaTek Dimensity 6360 Max SoC: Price, Specifications
  5. Apple’s Foldable iPhone to Launch With a Price Tag of Over $2,000 After Being in Development for a Decade: Report
  6. Apple ‘Surprise and Shine’ Event Today: How to Watch Foldable iPhone, iPhone 18 Pro Series Launch Live
  7. Cronos Reports $9.1 Million in Unrecovered Funds After Tectonic Exploit
  8. US Court Moves to Seize $212,000 in Crypto Linked to North Korean IT Workers
  9. Infinix Xpad 30 Pro Launched With MediaTek Helio G200 Ultimate SoC, 8,200mAh Battery: Price, Specifications
  10. Australia Tightens Crypto Regulation With 45 Firms Removed
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.