WhatsApp has made sharing sensitive information on its platform a lot easier in recent years. You can send a view-once text or media or a self-destructing message to ensure your private information remains private and is not leaked. But sometimes, you might want to send a voice message that is private and only meant to be listened to once. Building on the ability to send view-once photos and videos, the messaging service has now rolled out the ability to send voice messages that can only be played once.
As the name indicates, you’re able to only listen to a view-once voice message once. These messages automatically expire after that, ensuring no one else but the intended recipient can hear them. A view-once icon appears against all voice notes that can played once. Like all other WhatsApp messages, self-destructing audio notes are also encrypted end-to-end.
The ability to send and receive view-once audio messages is rolling out on Android and iPhone. However, there’s a major privacy risk of the feature on Android: the audio content can be recorded using your phone’s native screen recorder. This makes sharing view-once voice messages with an Android user a privacy risk, as they can start a screen recording before playing the voice note to record its content.
Like with view-once photos and videos, you must listen to a view-once voice note within 14 days of it being sent. Otherwise, the message will expire, and its content will become unavailable. It is also not possible to forward, star, or save view-once voice messages. These messages are also not backed up if you have opened and viewed the content.
View-once audio messages werefirst spotted in development on WhatsApp in March 2023. The feature then made its way to thebeta channel for select users in October.
WhatsApp is working on adding several new features to its messaging platform, withusername support probably being the biggest. It also recentlyrolled out email verification, letting you receive the six-digit login code on your linked email address. Additionally, it added asecret code functionality to Chat Lock, making it more stealthy to access.
WhatsApp notes the ability to send view-once voice messages will roll out globally over the coming days. So, it is possible the feature might not show up immediately on your device.
