As previously promised, WhatsApp has officially implemented its new feature that allows sending voice messages in a way that they disappear after the recipient is listened to.
We say “officially” because although this feature is actually in beta, it has been available for the last two months. Meta said that it will make the feature available in the same way in the official version, so there are no changes.
The new feature works the same way as the media feature that disappears after being viewed once. It is necessary to start by holding the record button and swiping up to lock it. Of course, records need to be locked before the “View Once” icon (a number in a circle) appears in the bottom right corner. Then, when you tap it once to activate it, a timer is added to the message. All you have to do is press Send.
Once released, the recipient has two weeks to listen to the recording. When a small acknowledgment sign appears at the bottom of the message, it becomes clear that the other party is listening. Additionally, if the message is not listened to until the time expires, WhatsApp automatically deletes the message. Note that you cannot save, share or forward these self-destructing voice messages.
According to a page on WhatsApp’s support website, it’s possible to restore a recording from a backed-up chat room, but only if it was never opened in the first place… If it’s already been tapped, then you’re out of luck.
The update is now rolling out globally to all WhatsApp users on Android and iOS devices.
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