View-Once Messages

View-once messages let you send photos and videos that the recipient can only view a single time. Once they have been opened and closed, the media expires and cannot be viewed again.

How it works

When you send a photo or video, you can mark it as view-once. The recipient will see a message that says "Tap to view photo" or "Tap to view video" with no thumbnail preview. After they open and close the media, it is marked as expired and the content is permanently removed from their device.

Sending a view-once message

1. Open a conversation and tap the attach (+) button.
2. Select a photo or video using the Gallery, Camera, or File option.
3. In the attachment preview, tap the duration toggle to switch from "Keep" to "View once".
4. Tap Send.

The duration toggle remembers your last choice, so if you frequently send view-once media you will not need to toggle it every time.

Receiving a view-once message

When someone sends you a view-once photo or video:

1. You will see a message that says "Tap to view photo" or "Tap to view video" with a timer icon. No thumbnail or preview is shown.
2. Tap the message to open it in a full-screen viewer.
3. Once you close the viewer, the media expires immediately.
4. The message will now display "Expired photo" or "Expired video" with a lock icon.

You cannot reopen or replay expired view-once media.

Privacy and security

View-once messages include several privacy protections:

• No thumbnail preview -- The recipient cannot see the content until they actively tap to view it.
• Screenshot protection -- On Android, screen capture is blocked while viewing view-once media.
• Automatic deletion -- After viewing, the media is deleted from the device. It is not stored in chat history or in the conversation's media gallery.
• Gallery exclusion -- View-once media never appears in the conversation's shared media gallery.

Good to know

• View-once mode is available for photos and videos only. It does not apply to text messages, GIFs, or albums.
• Both the sender and recipient can see the expired status of a view-once message in the chat.
• If you have not yet opened a view-once message, it will remain available until you choose to view it.