WhatsApp May Let You Share Photos in Their Original Quality Soon
WhatsApp, a Meta-owned app, is working on letting users share photos in their original quality without any compression.
To help minimize server load and save space on a user’s phone, WhatsApp compresses all photos shared through it — greatly reducing the resolution on any shared images.
Whatsapp currently offers three photo quality options to select from: “Auto,” “Best quality,” and “Data saver.”
However, even at the “Best Quality,” the app compresses the image to offer faster data transfer.
According to WABetaInfo, it seems that Whatsapp plans to integrate a new setting that will enable users to configure the quality of any photo in the drawing tool header on the app.
The new option will make it possible to send photos in their original, high-res quality.
📝 WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.2.11: what's new?
WhatsApp is working on sending photos in their original quality, for a future update of the app!https://t.co/loR2jZPaSP pic.twitter.com/3ry6GKuS1P
— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) January 20, 2023
When a Whatsapp user shares a photo, they can click the new setting in the drawing tool header to change the image quality to the original before they are sent.
According to WABetaInfo, the feature is currently under development and its release is planned for a future update of the Whatsapp app.
It is believed that the new option is unlikely to be available for videos on the platform.
WhatsApp has over two billion monthly active users, making it one of the most popular messaging apps for sending photos and videos.
Telegram, which is among WhatsApp’s main competitors, compresses images automatically, too. However, it also provides an option to share pictures in their original quality.
Storage Concerns
There could be drawbacks in terms of storage if Whatsapp does push ahead with the update.
WhatsApp currently compresses an image by as much as 70% so that they the photo can be delivered in less time. The compressed photos take up less space compared to the original quality ones.
If a WhatsApp user is able to send a photo in its original quality, then the recipient could run out of storage on their phone.
To avoid this, it is recommended that media auto-download is switched off in WhatsApp. This stops high-resolution photos from being auto-downloaded on the app by default.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
