WhatsApp View Once: How to Use & Is It Safe

Elsa Updated on Aug 19, 2025 Filed to: Parent Control

Have you ever wanted to send a message that can't be saved after the person views it—so it doesn't get shared or abused? Previously, you had to manually delete messages or rely on "Disappearing Messages." But now, with WhatsApp's View Once feature, it's much easier and faster.

But you might wonder: Is WhatsApp View Once 100% secure? Can someone still record their screen? How do I set it up? Don't worry—this article answers all of those questions and also shows how parents can protect kids on WhatsApp. Keep reading!

What Is a WhatsApp View Once?

WhatsApp's View Once (also called "one time") lets you send photos, videos, and voice messages that disappear after the recipient opens them one time. These one-time media and messages won't stay in the chat history and can't be viewed again, saved, or forwarded.

Key points:

Once the recipient opens the view-once content, it disappears automatically.
One-time photos, videos, and audio messages can't be forwarded, saved, shared, or starred.
If the recipient never opens the one-time media or message, it will be deleted after 14 days.
The view once content isn't included in backups, even if the recipient has backups turned on.

Sounds great, right? However, the view once feature isn't absolutely foolproof in terms of privacy.

How to Use View Once on WhatsApp

How to Send One Oime Picture on WhatsApp

Here's how to use View Once on both Android and iOS. Note that this feature is not available on desktop devices currently.

1.Open WhatsApp and go to the chat where you want to send a View Once media.
2.Tap the "Camera" icon or the "Paperclip" icon, then choose a photo/video from your gallery.
3.After selecting your media, you'll see a button.
4.Tap it to enable view once mode (you'll see "set to view once").

5.Send the one-time content!

Quick note: If you don't tap , the media sends like a normal photo/video.

After you send a View Once item, everyone in the chat can't see the photo/video thumbnail. And the view once bubble comes with a "1" icon. When the recipient opens it, the message shows an "Opened" indicator — this means they viewed it and it's now deleted.

How to Send a View Once Voice Message

This is a newer WhatsApp feature released in 2023. Important voice messages can be set to delete after the recipient plays. It is handy for short, private voice notes — like a quick confession or sharing a sensitive code — when you don't want it to stick around.

1.In a chat, press and hold the microphone button.
2.After recording, you'll see next to it.
3.Tap the view once icon to turn on View Once for voice messages.

4.Send it.

Just like one-time media, a voice message that is set to view once disappears after the recipient plays it one time. If they never play it, it expires after 14 days.

Is WhatsApp View Once Safe?

While View Once sounds great, it's not 100% secure. Here are a few important risks and limitations to know about:

Technical Limitations

Server-side issues: According to a Bitdefender report, attackers might exploit backup-related gaps to access copies before deletion.
iOS bugs: Some security researchers note that iOS may keep temporary fragments in certain cases, which could be exposed with advanced methods.
Third-party tools: As reported by Digit.in, underground tools exist that can capture and save view once content before it disappears.

Privacy Risks

Though WhatsApp block screenshots on one-time media, someone can still take a photo while viewing or use WhatsApp modified apps to capture it.
View once can improve privacy a bit, but it cannot "fully prevent leaks." Always consider how much you trust the recipient.

Bonus: Keep Your Kids Safer on WhatsApp

If you're a parent worried about kids contacting strangers, clicking risky links, or sharing personal photos, a little extra protection is necessary. After all, WhatsApp is a common communication tool even for your little ones.

This time, AirDroid Parental Control can help. It's more than a screen time app — it can mirror your child's WhatsApp activity and send instant alerts about non-supported content. Hence, you can understand if there are inappropriate chats and malicious contacts in real time, spotting and preventing risks immediately.

Why we recommend AirDroid Parental Control:

Sync WhatsApp messages your child sends and receives to your end.
Track social media activity and notify you about inappropriate ones by keywords.
Create allowed and blocked times for WhatsApp so kids can focus on schoolwork.

Conclusion

WhatsApp's View Once feature adds another layer of privacy, but it's not perfectly secure. For private chats, sharing important info, and especially for kids' safety on social apps, using the right settings and the right tools is the smartest approach. Before you send something important on WhatsApp, take a moment to think it through.

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Elsa

Elsa has worked on a number of iOS & Android solutions, she can always find her way around almost any application. She is an accomplished, skilled and versatile writer with more than 7 years of technical article writing experience.

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