WhatsApp tests home‑screen widget for faster voice notes and one‑time view texts

WhatsApp is testing a new home‑screen widget for Android that lets users record and send voice messages without opening the app. The widget appears as a 3×1 shortcut, starts recording with a tap, and after recording the user can choose one or multiple contacts to send the audio. The design also hides the user’s “online” status, addressing privacy concerns.

In parallel, the messenger is developing a “single‑view” text feature for both iOS and Android. Detected in beta builds, the option appears after a long press on the send button, allowing a message to be read only once before it disappears from both sender and receiver. The feature blocks forwarding, copying, screenshots and screen‑recording, and works in private chats and groups but not in Channels. Both functionalities remain in beta testing and have not been released to the general public.