View once images are photos or videos sent through apps like Snapchat, Instagram Direct, and Facebook Messenger that disappear after being viewed one time by the recipient. While view once images are meant to be temporary, you may want to save or record certain pictures for posterity or for evidence. There are a few different methods you can use to capture a view once image before it disappears.
Taking a screenshot
The easiest way to save a view once photo is by taking a screenshot. To do this on an iPhone, open the view once image and quickly press the Side button and Volume Up button at the same time. You’ll hear a camera shutter sound effect and see a preview thumbnail in the bottom left corner of your screen indicating the screenshot was captured.
On an Android, open the view once photo and press the Volume Down and Power buttons simultaneously. The screenshot will be saved to your photos gallery.
Screen recording is another option for capturing view once media. On iOS, you can start a screen recording by opening the Control Center and tapping the screen record icon which looks like a circle inside a circle. Then open the view once image or video and stop the recording after capturing it. The recording will be saved to your camera roll.
On Android, open your quick settings panel and tap the screen record icon. Select “Start now” or “Start in 3 seconds” and then open the disappearing content. Stop the recording once you’ve captured the image. The recording will be saved in your photos app.
Using a second device
If taking a screenshot is too tricky, you can also use a second device to photograph or record the view once content before it disappears. Simply open the ephemeral image on your primary device and then use a second smartphone or camera to take a photo or video of your screen. This manual method works for capturing both images and video messages.
Using recovery apps
There are also apps you can download that are designed to help recover or record view once messages. Apps like Snapsave, Saver for Instagram, and ScreenRec allow you to capture and save Snapchats and Instagram stories or videos. These apps work by accessing notifications data from the messaging apps to retrieve disappearing content before it vanishes.
Keep in mind that using third party apps to save view once content may go against the terms of service for apps like Snapchat and Instagram. You’ll want to tread carefully and use your best judgment before capturing others’ private, ephemeral content.
Enabling a Download Option
Some apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger have settings that allow recipients to download media from view once messages, essentially converting them into permanent content. Here are the steps for enabling download options:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings
- Tap Account > Privacy
- Toggle on “Save to Camera Roll”
With this enabled, you’ll be able to save any photo or video sent as a view once message on WhatsApp.
Facebook Messenger
- Open the Messenger app and go to your profile
- Tap “Message Controls”
- Toggle “Allow Message Requests” to the on position
Once enabled, you’ll see a download button on expiring media in Messenger, allowing you to save view once photos and videos.
Using chat recovery apps
If you weren’t able to capture a disappearing photo or video before it vanished, your last resort is to use a chat recovery app. These apps scour your device’s temporary storage and backups to find residual files left behind by messaging apps, including erased media.
Apps like iMyFone D-Back and Dr. Fone can recover vanished content from Snapchat, WhatsApp, and more. However, chat recovery should only be used as a last ditch effort, since these methods are not always reliable and may not fully recover all lost data.
Preventing View Once Content From Disappearing
If you want to be able to save view once messages more consistently, you can take steps to prevent them from disappearing in the first place:
- Disable auto-delete settings in apps like Signal and Telegram.
- Open the message via notifications before the app so it doesn’t open in view once mode.
- Use a jailbroken or rooted device to disable disappearing message functions.
- Temporarily put your device in Airplane Mode to freeze the message timeout.
However, circumventing view once restrictions may violate certain apps Terms of Service. Be aware that you may face account restrictions or bans by intentionally keeping ephemeral content.
Conclusion
View once messages are designed to give users more control over their privacy. But there are legitimate reasons you may want to keep temporary photos or videos. With the right tools and techniques, you can capture and recover disappearing content on iPhone and Android. Just be thoughtful in how you use these capabilities to respect others’ expectations of privacy.