WhatsApp is having a busy week. The Android version of the popular messaging app added support for passkeys on Tuesday and introduced an interface at the bottom of the tab earlier this week. Now, Meta’s instant messaging platform is introducing a feature that allows users on both iOS and Android to set voice notes as “view once,” just as the app already allows for other forms of media. The feature is currently in beta testing and should roll out to the wider user base in the coming days.
According to a report by WhatsApp feature tracker WABetaInfo, the app will introduce a new privacy feature for beta users, creating self-destructing voice notes. WhatsApp users can already choose the ‘view once’ option while sending images and video to their contacts in the app. Now the same feature is also available for voice notes.
The feature is reportedly rolling out to select beta testers of WhatsApp beta for Android via the Google Play Store and WhatsApp beta for iOS via the TestFlight app. Compatible updates for the ‘view once’ mode feature for audio messages include WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.21.15 and 2.23.22.4. On iOS, WhatsApp beta 23.21.1.73 is reportedly compatible with the update.
As previously mentioned, the feature is currently only available to some beta testers, with a wider rollout expected in the coming days. Voice notes with ‘view once’ mode cannot be saved or forwarded to other users. WABetaInfo also included screenshots of the feature during testing, showing the familiar “view once” icon in the chat bar for voice messages. Tapping the icon will send the voice note in ‘one-time view’ mode. The voice note sent while the feature is enabled cannot be replayed, saved or shared.
WhatsApp has been boosting its privacy features in recent times. It was recently reported that the app is working on a new secret code feature for locked chats, which will allow users to create a custom password for their secure chat folders.
This week, WhatsApp also introduced support for passkeys on Android, allowing users to securely log back into their account using biometric authentication or their device’s PIN. This feature allows users to use the face unlock or fingerprint scanner on their Android phones to log back into their WhatsApp account using a password saved on their device.
