WhatsApp to let users share high-definition photos

New feature will become available globally over the next few weeks, says Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg

WhatsApp has introduced a range of small tweaks recently to make it easier to use. Reuters

Meta-owned WhatsApp has introduced a new feature enabling users to share high-definition photos while maintaining the end-to-end encryption.

The new feature will become available globally over the next few weeks, Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said on Friday. The company also aims to add HD video capability to WhatsApp sharing in the future.

“Sharing photos on WhatsApp just got an upgrade – now you can send in HD,” Mr Zuckerberg wrote on Facebook, where he shared a 15-second video on how to share an HD image through the app.

The new feature will let users share images of superior quality and resolution – though they might still be compressed from their original form.

This capability will be available across Android and iOS operating systems, as well as different web platforms.

It will give users two resolution options – standard quality (1600 x 1052) and HD quality (4096 x 2692).

Photos transmitted in standard quality, which is a default option, are usually below 3 megapixels and those with HD quality are nearly 12MP. Users need to turn on the HD mode each time they intend to share high-resolution images.

How to send HD photos through WhatsApp

• Open the WhatsApp app and select the chat where you want to send HD media
• Take a new photo or select one from the gallery
• In editing view, click the HD icon and send the image, and the chat will display an HD badge to indicate that the image is of that quality

How WhatsApp is making app more user-friendly

WhatsApp has introduced a range of small tweaks to make it easier to use.

In June, the company introduced a new feature that will focus on broadcasts rather than conversations. Called Channels, the new feature is a one-way broadcast tool for administrators to send text, photos, videos, stickers and polls.

In May, it announced a feature called Chat Lock that lets users have more control over protecting their private conversations.

In the same month, WhatsApp announced a new update that will allow people to edit messages after they have been sent. The edit option will be available for 15 minutes after a message has been sent.

Meanwhile, the app has been criticised for reportedly turning on people’s microphones while the app was not in use. WhatsApp chalked that up to a bug in the software of Google’s Android operating system, insisting that it does not listen to users.