You Can Now Reply a WhatsApp Chat Using Instant Video Messages

We hinted last month, via WABetaInfo, that WhatsApp users will soon see a Video Message icon, similar to the microphone feature for voice messages. Well, today, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the Meta-owned platform is adding the ability to instantly record and share a video message in your WhatsApp chats! Instant video messages can be up to 60 seconds long and are protected with end-to-end encryption,” the company said, in a blog post.

Video messages are a real-time way to respond to chats with whatever you want to say and show in 60 seconds. Now you can add a video to show exactly what you want to say. With Video Messages, you can capture and share the moment as it happens, bringing a whole new level of expressiveness to your conversations.

To record an instant video message or chat, follow these straightforward steps:

1. Long press the microphone icon (for recording voice messages) so it can switch to video mode.
2. Keep holding to record the video chat. Alternatively, you can swipe up to lock and record the video hands-free.

Videos will play automatically on mute when opened in a chat, and tapping on the video will start the sound.

Mark Zuckerberg has been criticised for supposedly copying features from Twitter and Telegram for his platforms. However, I think these actions are merely responses to user preferences, which the company has the habit of doing. Many users have expressed their desire to have certain basic features from Telegram on WhatsApp. In response, Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has taken this feedback into account and implemented the requested features.

Video messages are here to stay and I can’t wait for the new WhatsApp feature to get on my Samsung device. Meta also noted that they are protected with end-to-end encryption to keep your messages secure.

Instant Video Messages, previously in Beta, is now being rolled out to more WhatsApp users on both iOS and Android platforms, starting today.