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About view once
For added privacy, you can now send photos and videos that disappear from your WhatsApp chat after the recipient has opened them once. To use view once, please update WhatsApp to the latest version available for your device.
- Media will not be saved to the recipient’s Photos or Gallery.
- Once you send a view once photo or video, you won’t be able to view it again.
- You can’t forward, save, star, or share photos or videos that were sent or received with view once media enabled.
- You can only see if a recipient has opened a view once photo or video if they have read receipts turned on.
- If you don’t open the photo or video within 14 days of it being sent, the media will expire from the chat.
- You must select view once media each time you want to send a view once photo or video.
- View once media can be restored from backup if the message is unopened at the time of back up. If the photo or video has already been opened, the media will not be included in the backup and can’t be restored.
Note:
- Only send photos or videos with view once media enabled to trusted individuals. If the person you’re sending view once media to is using the latest version of WhatsApp, your messages are protected with screenshot blocking for privacy reasons. This means they won’t be able to take a screenshot of your view once media.
- If the person you’re messaging is using an older version of WhatsApp, they may still be able to screenshot view once media. But, this is temporary as we test the feature. In future, no-one using WhatsApp will be able to screenshot your view once media. You won’t be notified if someone tries to take a screenshot or screen recording.
- Bear in mind that there are other ways your media can be saved. For example, recipients can take a photo or video of your view once media with a camera or other device before it disappears, so only send to those you trust.
- Encrypted media may be stored for a few weeks on WhatsApp’s servers after you’ve sent it.
- If a recipient chooses to report view once media, the media will be provided to WhatsApp. You can find out more about reporting messages on WhatsApp in this article.
Related resources:
How to send and open view once media on: Android | iPhone | KaiOS | Web and Desktop
