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How can I send WhatsApp video to only view once?

WhatsApp has a useful feature that allows you to send videos that the recipient can only view once before they disappear. This is great for sharing sensitive or private videos that you don’t want the other person to be able to keep or share themselves. Here’s how to send a video on WhatsApp that the recipient can only view once:

Enable View Once in WhatsApp Settings

First, you need to enable the View Once feature in your WhatsApp settings:

  1. Open WhatsApp and tap the More Options icon (3 dots in top right)
  2. Go to Settings > Account > Privacy
  3. Toggle on ‘View Once’ to enable it

This will allow you to send view once media in individual chats. The recipient will need to also have View Once enabled to see and open the media.

Send a Video That Can Only Be Viewed Once

Once View Once is enabled, sending a video that can only be viewed once is easy:

  1. Open the WhatsApp chat with the person you want to send the video to
  2. Tap Attach > Video and select the video you want to send
  3. You will see a toggle for ‘View Once’ – make sure it is enabled
  4. The video thumbnail will have a 1 icon indicating it is set to view once
  5. Tap Send to send the video

The recipient will now only be able to view the video once before it disappears from the chat.

Other Ways to Send View Once Videos

In addition to toggling View Once on individual videos, there are a couple other ways to send videos that can only be viewed once in WhatsApp:

Set All Media Uploads to View Once

You can set WhatsApp to always send any videos you upload as View Once:

  1. Go to Settings > Account > Privacy
  2. Toggle on ‘Media visibility’ to enable it

Now any videos you send will automatically be set as View Once. The recipient will still need to have View Once enabled to see them.

Forward a Video and Set as View Once

If you want to forward a video that wasn’t originally sent as View Once, you can enable View Once when forwarding:

  1. Open the chat with the video you want to forward
  2. Long press the video and tap Forward
  3. Select the contact you want to forward it to
  4. Before tapping send, tap the View Once toggle to enable it
  5. The video will now be forwarded as a view once video

This lets you easily make any video you forward viewable only once for the recipient.

Requirements for Sending View Once Videos

There are a couple requirements for sending and viewing view once WhatsApp videos:

  • You must have View Once enabled in your WhatsApp settings
  • The recipient must also have View Once enabled to view the video
  • The video will disappear after being viewed once
  • The video file is not saved to the recipient’s phone

As long as you and the recipient have the feature enabled, you can safely send private or sensitive videos that can only be viewed once.

Troubleshooting View Once Videos

If you’re having trouble sending or viewing view once videos, here are some things to check:

Make Sure View Once is Enabled

On both your device and the recipient’s device, check that View Once is toggled on in WhatsApp settings under Account > Privacy. This is required to send and view view once videos.

Confirm the Video is Set to View Once

When sending an individual video, double check that the View Once toggle is enabled before tapping send. The video thumbnail will have a “1” icon if set correctly.

Check Network Connection

A poor internet connection can prevent view once videos from being sent or received properly. Make sure both devices have a stable connection before sending.

Update to the Latest WhatsApp Version

Using the latest version of WhatsApp can help prevent issues with sending and receiving view once videos. Update WhatsApp on both devices if needed.

Resend the Video

Try resending the view once video if the recipient is unable to view it for some reason. This can resolve temporary glitches.

Contact WhatsApp Support

If you continue having unresolved issues, you can contact WhatsApp directly for troubleshooting help through their website or Twitter support.

Why Use WhatsApp’s View Once Feature?

Sending videos that the recipient can only watch once has some great advantages:

Enhanced Privacy

The video does not get saved to their phone, enhancing privacy. They won’t be able to reshare or forward the video to others.

Better Security

View once videos help maintain security and control over who sees your videos. This prevents them from being accessed by others if the recipient’s phone is compromised.

Avoid Embarrassment

You can share silly or embarrassing videos and not have to worry about the recipient saving them or showing them to others in the future.

Save Storage Space

View once videos get automatically deleted after being watched, saving storage space on both devices versus keeping permanent videos.

Temporary Sharing

The feature allows you to temporarily share videos that you only want the person to see once, without letting them retain access.

Conclusion

WhatsApp’s view once video sending feature provides an easy way to share temporary videos while enhancing privacy and security. By enabling View Once in your WhatsApp settings, you can send individual videos or set all media uploads to disappear after being viewed once by the recipient. This prevents the videos from being saved, shared or forwarded. While useful, both you and the recipient need to have View Once enabled to send and view videos successfully. Troubleshooting can be done by checking settings, network connections, app versions and contacting WhatsApp support if needed. Overall, view once videos give greater control over sensitive content and peace of mind when sharing private media.