WhatsApp View Once text messages now testing on Android beta
WhatsApp's View Once option, long limited to photos, videos and voice notes, now works for plain text in the Android beta. Read it once and it's gone.
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ediviewer· read EDI files like documents
giftdetect· the right gift in minutesWhatsApp's "View Once" option has so far covered photos, videos and voice messages. Now it works for plain text too, at least for some people on the Android beta.
According to WABetaInfo, the feature has appeared for some users on WhatsApp for Android beta version 2.26.45.6. WhatsApp has been testing view-once text messages for the past few months, so this is the first time it has actually reached testers' phones.
How do View Once text messages work on WhatsApp?
It follows the same rules as view-once media. Type your message, press and hold the send button, then choose "View Once." The first time, WhatsApp shows an info screen about the feature. Tap "OK" to continue.
The text doesn't show up in the chat as normal. The recipient has to tap it, and it opens in a separate screen. Once they close it, they can't open it again. The message is marked as opened, so the sender can see it was read, as long as read receipts are switched on.
After that, the message is gone for both sides. The recipient can't copy, forward or save it. WhatsApp also blocks screenshots and screen recordings in the app while the message is open, which makes it handy for things like a one-time code or a sensitive detail.
Is View Once text really private?
Not completely. Someone can still point another camera at the screen and record the message, and neither WhatsApp nor the sender can stop that.
One more limit: WABetaInfo says view-once texts can't be scheduled. Whether that changes before the feature reaches everyone isn't known yet. For now, only some beta testers on Android have it.
Apps worth a look
SUMO: the number puzzleTap the right tiles, add them up, hit the target. Easy to learn, hard to master. Free, for all ages.
Dialo: learn languages by speakingTalk to an AI conversation partner; every sentence comes back corrected and explained in your language. 9 languages, A1 to C2.
ediviewer: read EDI files like documentsOpen EDIFACT and X12 messages, see every segment explained, convert to JSON/XML, export PDF and Excel. Runs locally, no upload.
giftdetect: the right gift in minutesPick who it is for, the occasion and their personality. The search engine reads product descriptions from local shops and ranks what fits. Free, no sign-up.
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