WhatsApp to soon let you re-download deleted images, videos

Earlier, any image or video shared on WhatsApp and deleted from the device could not be re-downloaded.

WhatsApp beta users can experience the latest unofficial features on the app. (REUTERS)

WhatsApp is testing a new feature on its beta app for Android that lets users re-download deleted media including photos and videos. At present, if users delete media including photos, GIFs, and videos from their phone they cannot re-download the same on WhatsApp again. But this new feature if rolled out officially will give users the option to do so.

If you wish to try this feature and many more, you can by enrolling into WhatsApp's beta programme following this link. Any WhatsApp user can become a beta tester for the app. You can always opt out of the beta programme by uninstalling the testing version, and downloading the public version of WhatsApp from Google Play Store.

Downloaded media shared on WhatsApp is saved in a separate folder on your phone. If you delete any WhatsApp photo, image or GIF file from your phone, you cannot download it again. But this new feature brings back the download button on the deleted file on WhatsApp letting users re-download it multiple times.

First reported by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp media dating back to three months could be downloaded again.

Privacy issue

The report also states that users can do so because WhatsApp stores media on their database even after users delete them. However any media older than three months cannot be downloaded hinting that WhatsApp has an expiry date for files stored in their database. While this raises the question of security for WhatsApp storing user data despite having deleted by the users, the company has assured that every data on the platform is end-to-end encrypted.

WhatsApp also claims that it does not snoop on any of your messages shared on the platform. However, the Facebook-owned company can distinguish between the types of file shared on WhatsApp. It can distinguish between text, image, video and GIF files shared on WhatsApp.