Overview
- Reporters found code for the feature in a WhatsApp Android beta (version 2.26.22.7) that was examined and written up on June 5, 2026.
- Beta files show a sender would long-press the send button to pick an option labelled to send the message for one viewing only, though that UI flow is still under development.
- The build indicates the message would block copying, forwarding and in-app screenshots or screen recordings, but it cannot stop external-device photos or technical workarounds.
- WhatsApp has not confirmed the feature or given a rollout timeline, the option is not yet available to most beta testers, and users can already mimic one-time text by sending text as a caption on a view-once photo.
- The change would extend WhatsApp’s existing single-view tools for photos, videos (since 2021) and voice notes (since 2023) and keep the same backup caveat that unopened single-view media can be restored from backups made before they were opened.