Meta-owned WhatsApp is reportedly in the testing phase for a new "view once" mode designed for "voice notes," a feature that will enable users to send voice messages that can be heard only once by their intended recipient. Currently, this functionality is exclusively available to Android and iOS users participating in the beta version of the application. To activate this feature, users simply need to tap the "1" icon located to the right of the voice note waveform while recording, as per information provided by WABetaInfo.
Once a voice note is sent with the "view once" mode enabled, neither the sender nor the recipient will have the ability to listen to it again once it has been dismissed. This development is expected to provide users with enhanced control and privacy when sharing voice messages, as these audio messages cannot be exported, forwarded, or shared with others.
Furthermore, the report confirms that recipients will be unable to save or record the voice notes, thereby ensuring a higher level of content control and preserving the sender's privacy. Notably, this Meta-owned messaging service had already introduced a similar "View Once" feature for photos and videos back in 2021.
Simultaneously, WhatsApp has announced its intentions to introduce support for a password-less passkey feature to all Android users. This move will allow Android users to bid farewell to the insecure and often inconvenient two-factor SMS authentication. According to the company's statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Android users can now effortlessly and securely log back into their WhatsApp accounts with passkeys, with only their face, fingerprint, or PIN serving as the key to unlocking their WhatsApp account.