Here is how to send disappearing photos and videos on WhatsApp

Here is how to send disappearing photos and videos on WhatsApp

Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp recently introduced a privacy feature that allows you to send disappearing messages. You are able to send photos and videos that disappear from the WhatsApp chat after the recipient opens it once. This feature is an improvement to the previous one that only allows the chat to disappear after seven days.

disappearing whatsapp photos video

Here are a few things to know about the view once disappearing WhatsApp feature. Firstly, you must select view once media each time you want to send a view once photo or video. The media message will disappear after the recipient opens and exits the media viewer. The information will no longer be visible in the chat and the recipient can’t view it again. The photo or video is also not saved to the recipient’s photo or media gallery. The recipient is also not able to forward the photo or video to another person, nor star it.

You however need to understand that even though this is a way to send private messages, It is not altogether a secure way of sending sensitive information. WhatsApp encourages you to send view once media to individuals you trust and here is why. It is possible for someone to take a screenshot or screen recording since they know they can view it only once. People can also take a video or photo of the media with another device before it disappears.

How to send view once disappearing media on WhatsApp

Send view once media on Android

  1. Open an individual or group chat.
  2. Tap Attach, then tap:
    • Camera to take a new photo or video with your camera. WhatsApp limits recording videos to 16MB.
    • Gallery to select an existing photo or video from your phone.
  3. Tap 1.
  4. Tap Send.

Send view once media on iPhone

  1. Open an individual or group chat.
  2. Tap Camera to take a photo or video, or select one from your Albums. Alternatively, tap Attach, then tap:
    • Camera to take a new photo or video with your camera. WhatsApp limits recording videos to 16MB.
    • Photo & Video Library to select an existing photo or video from your iPhone’s Photos or Albums.
  3. Tap 1.
  4. Tap Send.

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WhatsApp will stop working on Windows Phone after January 14 2020

WhatsApp will stop working on Windows Phone after January 14 2020

whatsapp windows phone

If you are still hooked to your Windows phone and actively using WhatsApp from Facebook, this is for you. You have only a few days to switch devices or find an alternative platform for your conversations. The company is alerting, “WhatsApp will stop working on Windows Phones after January 14 2020”.

whatsapp windows phone

In June last year, WhatsApp Inc. sent out an end of support message to Windows phone users. Informing users “Microsoft has ended support for Windows Phone, As a consequence, WhatsApp will stop working on this phone after Dec 31, 2019”. The new alert reads “WhatsApp will stop working on this phone after Jan 14, 2020”.

You’ll no longer be able to use all Windows Phone operating systems after December 31, 2019 the support page reads. This means you will officially no longer be able to use the service on your phone. You might have experienced some features not working properly. This is due to the fact that the company isn’t actively developing for the platform.

Good thing is you can continue using the service on a supported phone as the company advises. The downside however will be that your conversations can’t travel with you cross platform. As they are backed up on different platform accounts.

UPDATE:

It is the 15th of January 2020, the image below is what you’ll see when you open your WhatsApp application.

whatsapp windows phone not supported

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WhatsApp is removing app from Microsoft Store and will stop working on your Windows phone

WhatsApp is removing app from Microsoft Store and will stop working on your Windows phone

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is sending out an end of support message to windows phone users. If you haven’t already seen this you should soon if you are using WhatsApp on a Windows mobile device. The company says whatsapp will stop working on Windows Phones. In another detail, the company will be removing its app from the Microsoft store as well.

The message reads “Microsoft has ended support for Windows Phone, As a consequence, WhatsApp will stop working on this phone after Dec 31, 2019.”
In February Microsoft announced that from December 10th 2019, Windows 10 mobile users will not recieve new security updates and any kind of device support. Following this most apps have moved users to their web apps, like Instagram and Uber. Others have their apps available in the Microsoft store but not available for mobile download.

WhatsApp says “You’ll no longer be able to use all Windows Phone operating systems after December 31, 2019, and WhatsApp might not be available in the Microsoft Store after July 1, 2019.

It however offers a link to show you how to switch to a supported phone.

As a Windows Phone user, what this means is that some features might stop functioning at any time. You will be unable to create new accounts nor reverify existing accounts says WhatsApp.

Unfortunately WhatsApp doesn’t have an option to transfer your chat history between platforms. I can’t tell if backing it up to an SD card and moving it will do it. If you tried this and it worked kindly share with us.

Safaricom’s half-baked Free Unlimited WhatsApp Offer

Safaricom’s half-baked Free Unlimited WhatsApp Offer

Who doesn’t like free things? Tell me and I’ll ask for an explanation. We all like and enjoy offers that are money-saving and give more goodies, not so? Also, some factions have said free things aren’t all good or are shady in a way. More like be wary or suspicious of free offerings as there might be a catch or clause. You can imagine the delight and brim on my face when I heard Safaricom has a free WhatsApp data package.

Technically you’ll need to get the requisite Safaricom data package but when your initial data runs out, you enjoy free WhatsApp till its validity runs out. Also, Safaricom claims it is an unlimited use of WhatsApp. This kind of means you should be able to use the full features of the WhatsApp application without hindrances.

free WhatsApp Safaricom Kenya

So here I was enjoying WhatsApp chats after I had run out of data and believed all was well and rosy as promised. I became dumbfounded when I had to send images from our day out at the Nairobi Arboretum to a friend and it didn’t upload. Huh! What? Is something wrong with the network? Okay, I’ll give it a while maybe the file size is big. Seconds turned to minutes and minutes turned to hours. I can clearly see text chats coming and my responses going out, so something might be happening here.

I checked with other friends on the Safaricom network to make sure it was a general problem, nope it wasn’t. Turns out, I was in this alone. Do you have mobile data I was asked? Ummm nope, I run out of it but Safaricom said I should enjoy free WhatsApp usage afterwards till the bundle duration is over. So I decided to see what else didn’t work. I tried checking stories of friends and nope that didn’t load up as well.

So no WhatsApp Stories, no images, audio and video messages? Wow. The only thing that works or goes through are text chats? Phew, I didn’t see that coming. It felt like going to a restaurant and getting extra free nyama choma. That’s nice right? Well until you eat it and it feels half-cooked in your mouth, yup. That’s how I felt upon my realization of Safaricom’s free WhatsApp offer.

Speaking to a Safaricom customer care agent, I was told the terms and conditions (T&C’s) – [which isn’t available on the Safaricom website, or readily available for consumers to access] – of the offer apply. So let’s take a look at the T&C’s.

The Safaricom free unlimited WhatsApp starts only after you use up the initial data bundle you buy. Users will not be able to do video and audio calls. Safaricom says picture and video messages should go through or work. As well as the ability to watch stories.

If you are having issues as I am, I’m made to believe it is a systems issue. Of what essence will it be if we all are having systems issues with a good offer? Well, I leave you to decide that. As much as Safaricom calls it unlimited, I believe it has a fair usage policy and cap on the data usage. This was confirmed to me. A daily unlimited WhatsApp bundle subscriber has a cap of 500MB. A weekly subscriber has a cap of 3.5GB and a monthly subscriber has a 10GB cap on the usage.

So it isn’t unlimited after all. I have heard some say the speed drops as well. Surely unless there’s a way to do a bandwidth speed test to measure a WhatsApp app speed? I haven’t been able to confirm this. It might appear I’m not the only one baffled by this half-baked free offer.

It’s good and an okay offer if you are a text chat person or if it works as Safaricom says it should. But when you like sharing, checking and commenting on stories, well. Also if you are a video or audio person or your friends are, then sorry this isn’t for you. Except it works as mentioned. kindly share your experience with me or tell me if it works for you. Asante sana.

Safaricom recently launched a new app giving users features that include more security and control.

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WhatsApp Web Works with Microsoft Edge Browser

WhatsApp Web Works with Microsoft Edge Browser

WhatsApp Web is finally available to Microsoft Edge browser users.
whatsapp web

Microsoft Edge is the official browser that comes pre-installed in Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile operating system. It’s also the browser that officially replaced Internet Explorer (still available in windows 10).

WhatsApp Web was introduced sometime in January 2015 as a web client that mirrors a persons chat account from your phone to your personal computer. This was introduced to provide a richer communication experience to users of WhatsApp. WhatsApp Web isn’t a different chat account or platform. It’s the same WhatsApp account setup on your phone that gets synchronized and mirrored to the PC, so you have the same information.

But up until now it wasn’t usable on Microsoft Edge browsers and still doesn’t support any Internet Explorer version.

WhatsApp Web

How do you go about this?

Minimum requirements to enjoy WhatsApp Web

  • You need to have an active WhatsApp account on your phone.
  • You need to have a stable internet connection on both your phone and your computer.
  • You need to use the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Opera or Safari as your web browser on your computer.

Once you meet the browser specifications;

To get started with WhatsApp Web

  1. Visit web.whatsapp.com on your computer.
  2. Open WhatsApp on your phone.
    • On Windows Phone: under Chats go to Menu > WhatsApp Web.
    • On Android: in the Chats screen > Menu > WhatsApp Web.
    • On iPhone: go to Settings > WhatsApp Web.
    • On BlackBerry: go to Chats > Menu > WhatsApp Web. (On BlackBerry 10: Swipe down from top of the screen )
  3. Scan the QR Code on your computer screen from your phone with your camera.

From your phone, navigate to WhatsApp Web to view your logged in computers or to logout from an active  chat session.
WhatsApp Web  WhatsApp Web WhatsApp Web

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is this an added bonus to you?, because honestly I’ve been looking forward to this as I’ve decided to try out only Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer on a PC as only browsers. There have been some limitations as expected but with more extensions expected to be available in the next major Update  aka “RedStone”, I guess I wouldn’t have much to worry about.

With WhatsApp being used by people in doing several things like sharing vital information during natural disasters or health emergencies, finding a date, growing a small business, buying an engagement ring, or seeking a better life etc.  it comes in handy.