WhatsApp Messages Can Now Be Read Only Once

WhatsApp is testing a new feature for Android users that allows text messages to be sent as one-time messages. With this feature, recipients can open and read a message only once. After the message is closed, it disappears from the chat. Currently, the update is available only to some beta testers.

To use the feature, users first need to open any WhatsApp chat and type a message. Then, by pressing and holding the send button, a special menu appears. From there, they can select the “View Once” option to send the message. At the moment, scheduling one-time messages is not supported.

On the recipient’s side, the message does not appear immediately when the chat is opened. They must tap the message to read it. The text opens on a separate screen and becomes inaccessible once that screen is closed. A notification indicating that the message has been opened remains in the chat. If the sender has read receipts enabled, they can also see when the recipient opened the message.

Several restrictions have been introduced to protect privacy. Recipients cannot take screenshots or record the screen while reading the message, copy the text, forward it to another chat or save it. This feature could be particularly useful for sharing sensitive information, such as passwords and one-time verification codes.

The feature is being rolled out through Google Play Store in WhatsApp beta version 2.26.45.6 for Android. The update is not available to all users simultaneously and is being introduced gradually. WhatsApp has not yet announced an exact release date for all users.