WhatsApp is testing a “view once” option for text messages on iPhone, following the feature’s earlier rollout on Android. Reports based on WABetaInfo findings say the capability appears in iOS beta builds and is enabled from the chat send screen: users long-press the Send button to access a new “Send as view once” option. When selected, the recipient can open and read the message one time, after which it disappears.
The feature is intended to limit ways recipients can preserve content. Sources indicate WhatsApp blocks actions such as copying and forwarding of the message, and also restricts screenshots and screen recordings. It is described as working in individual chats and groups, while not being offered in channels, where disappearing-message behavior may not align with the platform’s existing structure.
Writers also note that WhatsApp already has “view once” controls for other media types, such as photos, videos, and voice notes, and that the new text-message option is still under development without a confirmed public release date.
