WhatsApp beta tests self-destructing voice messages after one-time playback

WhatsApp is beta testing a new feature for its voice messages. This feature will allow users to send voice messages that can only be listened to once by the recipient. When recording a voice message, a small "1" icon will appear next to the voice note waveform, and if the "view once" mode is enabled, the message cannot be replayed once it's been dismissed by either the sender or the recipient.

The feature is currently available to a limited number of Android and iOS users who are using the beta version of the app. This follows a similar "View Once" feature introduced by WhatsApp for photos and videos in 2021, extending the functionality to voice messages as well.

The timeline for the feature's wider release has not been specified yet, as Meta has not provided official comments, but it really shouldn't take more than a couple of months, during which we will, of course, report when it is officially launched to the general public.