WhatsApp launches video messaging

Users will be able to record 60 second messages within the app
Previously users could share video files but not record in app
WhatsApp has launched several new features in recent weeks

Updated: Jul 27, 2023 / 11:32 AM CDT

FILE – This Feb. 19, 2014, file photo, shows WhatsApp app icon on a smartphone in New York. Ireland has fined WhatsApp for breaching strict European Union privacy rules by forcing users to consent to allow their personal data to be used to provide “service improvements and security.” The Data Protection Commission issued a 5.5 million euros ($5.9 million) penalty in the case on Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File)

(NewsNation) — WhatsApp is now allowing users to record and send video messages, Meta announced.

The messages are similar to voice messages already allowed, with users being able to record up to one minute of video and send to their contacts.

Users were already able to send video files to contacts but the new feature allows people to record directly within the app, which facilitates encrypted communication.

WhatsApp, owned by Facebook parent company Meta, has introduced a number of new features in recent months, including those meant to protect against spam messages from unknown users.

Other new features include the ability to automatically silence calls from unknown users and edit messages within 15 minutes of sending. Meta has also announced it is considering introducing usernames for the service. Currently, accounts are identified by the user’s phone number.