WhatsApp allows users to send video messages called video notes , which are short videos up to 60 seconds long that can be recorded and sent directly within chats. Here is how video messages work on WhatsApp:
How to Send Video Messages (Video Notes)
- Open a chat.
- Press and hold the camera icon next to the text field to start recording a video note.
- You can switch between front and back cameras during recording.
- Release your finger to send the video note automatically.
- Alternatively, swipe up after pressing and holding the camera icon to lock hands-free recording.
- After recording, you can preview, cancel, or send the video note.
- Video notes appear as circular videos in the chat and play muted by default; tapping them enables sound
Features of Video Notes
- Maximum duration is 60 seconds.
- They play automatically on mute in the chat.
- Video notes are protected with end-to-end encryption.
- You can see who has played your video note by pressing and holding the sent video note and selecting Info.
- Video notes cannot be forwarded by others, only by the sender.
- They cannot be saved by recipients.
- You can reply to video notes by recording a new video note in response
Additional Related Features
- WhatsApp also supports view once media, including photos, videos, and voice messages that disappear after being viewed once. These cannot be forwarded, saved, or screenshotted (though external recording is possible)
In summary, WhatsApp video messages (video notes) provide a quick, expressive way to send short videos in chats with privacy protections and easy recording controls similar to voice messages
