WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that lets users send higher quality and higher resolution images in HD on the messaging app. According to Meta, the messaging platform will be adding support for HD video soon.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the update via a Facebook post saying, “Sharing photos on WhatsApp just got an upgrade — now you can send in HD”.
The feature had been in Beta testing since last month for both the Android and iOS versions. The feature is now rolling out to all users over the coming weeks.
After receiving the latest update, WhatsApp users can access the feature when they are sharing a photo on the app. They’ll find a new “HD” button next to other image editing tools such as cropping and adding text or drawings over the images. Tapping on the “HD” button will provide a pop-up menu with two resolution options (both the HD quality and the Standard quality) for users to select.
Images shared in WhatsApp will be sent in the Standard Quality by default as this will help save on storage and images can be sent faster. To send higher-quality images, users will have to select send HD quality option.
The image sent has a “HD” tag that will help the recipient identify the quality of the photo. The recipient can then choose which quality they want to download the photo in; you can keep it in the standard quality or have it in the higher quality instead.
As is with most WhatsApp features, HD photos will be end-to-end encrypted.
