When you send a photo or image through the private Instagram chat, you can schedule it to be deleted as soon as the recipient sees it, or when a few minutes / hours pass. This feature has been on Instagram for years, but not on WhatsApp. In the messaging app, when you send an image, it stays sent and you can only delete it within the period of time that the app gives you to cancel a message. But if the contact or group has seen it, it stays there, even stored in their galleries.

Or at least that happened, because since yesterday, Anyone can send an image via WhatsApp and schedule it to self-delete whenever they want. And yes, that’s what that number that suddenly appeared last night in the bar to compose the message is for.

WhatsApp temporary photos and videos

How does it work? That easy:

1. open WhatsApp and enter a cat
2. In the bar to write a message press the camera icon to open the most recent gallery of photos and images saved on your mobile
3. Click on one or more to choose them
4. Do you see that in the bar to write a caption or message there is a ‘1’ on the right that did not appear before? If you give it, you activate the option so that the recipient can only see that photo once.
5. As soon as I have seen it, the image will be removed from the chat and you will not be able to open it again

Facts about sending temporary images:

• When you send photos and videos by activating the function, They can only be viewed once and you are notified when the recipient has opened them.
• When photos and videos are set to be viewed once, the content disappears after you close it.
• And you deactivate reading receipts, the recipient will still see if you have opened the photo or video set to view once, but you won’t be able to see when the recipient opens yours. In groups, you can see when other participants open photos that expire, even if you have disabled read receipts.
• The recipient could save the photo or video making snapshot screen or video, and WhatsApp will not warn you because there is no detection of screenshots.
• You can too share photos and videos set for one-time viewing in groups, and you can see who has opened them in Message information.
• Contacts blocked in common groups can keep opening those photos and videos– In fact, they can’t text or call you, but they can interact with you in groups.
• If you send a photo using the see once feature to people who don’t have this feature turned on, the see once feature will continue to work and they will only be able to view it once.