Updated: Article completely revised
WhatsApp lets you send one-time-view photos or videos that automatically delete for everyone after being opened. In this guide, nextpit shows you how to use both features and how to turn off disappearing messages.
Summary:
If you send sensitive data via WhatsApp, you should definitely take advantage of ephemeral messages. Indeed, even if the application secures all messages with end-to-end encryption, sensitive messages otherwise remain on the smartphone of your correspondent.
How to send media as a single message
Since July 2021, WhatsApp has offered a feature that allows you to view content only once. This feature is called “single message” and concerns photos and videos. Here’s how to use the “Single Messages” feature:
- Open an individual or group chat
- Tap the Camera icon or select attachments
- Now tap on the icon with the “1”, which is located at the bottom above the green “Send” arrow.
- Press “Send”
Sending single messages in WhatsApp is child’s play / © nextpit
Once your correspondent has viewed the photo or video, the content is automatically deleted from the chat history and smartphone memory. However, WhatsApp also displays a message stating that the message in question can only be viewed once.
How to enable or disable ephemeral messages
If single messages aren’t enough for you, you can also use ephemeral messages for entire chats. You always enable this feature for a contact or group. Once enabled, all new messages will be deleted after seven days.
- Open WhatsApp chat
- Tap the contact or group name
- Tap on “ephemeral messages”
- Choose between “24 hours”, “7 days” or “90 days” to enable it, or “Disabled” to disable it
On WhatsApp, you can set the exact time after which messages should be deleted. / © nextpit
Keep in mind that all participants in the group chat can enable or disable disappearing messages. An admin can change the settings so that only admins can do this.
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What do you think about these WhatsApp features? Do you use them?
