Telegram rolling out ‘view-once’ voice and video messages

As part of its January feature update, Telegram is unveiling several enhancements, including the introduction of “view-once” functionality for video and audio messages, the ability to pause and resume recording for video and audio messages, and new controls for monitoring read times. 

The “view-once” feature, initially introduced for photos and videos in one-on-one chats in September 2023, is now expanded to voice and video messages. Users can initiate recording by tapping the mic icon and then choose the “view-once” icon, allowing recipients to experience the voice or video message only once. 

Telegram is also introducing the option to pause and resume recording for voice and video messages within the same menu. Additionally, users can now see when their message has been read by the recipient in one-on-one private chats, with the ability to disable this feature in the settings. 

For premium users, Telegram offers the option to hide their read time while still being able to view someone else’s read time if it is shared publicly. Furthermore, paid users can now customize who can initiate conversations with them, choosing between “Everyone” or “My Contacts and Premium Users.” 

In the previous month, Telegram had already introduced features for improved channel discovery and customization. Later in the same month, enhancements included more efficient calls with end-to-end encryption for reduced battery usage. The bot platform was also updated to allow bots to react to messages, manage reactions, quotes, and links, and send replies to other chats or topics.