Meta-owned WhatsApp is now letting users send pictures in higher-quality "HD" format, the company announced on Thursday. This essentially means that images sent via WhatsApp would now retain quality and won't be as compressed. Company CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that users can now send photos on WhatsApp in HD quality. The feature is rolling out for all WhatsApp users globally and it is likely to reach you in the coming days.
"Sharing photos on WhatsApp just got an upgrade -- now you can send in HD," Zuckerberg posted.
With this, higher-resolution images, which would still be compressed from the original size, would be available on Android and iOS devices and also for the web client. Videos on the world's most popular messaging platform are not getting this ability yet and Meta says support for HD videos is also coming soon.
According to screenshots posted by WhatsApp beta updates tracking website WABetaInfo, users who get the new feature would see an “HD” gear icon when they add a picture to a message thread.
In a recent update, the Meta-owned platform announced earlier this month that users will now be able to share their screens during video calls on the platform. This feature aims to enrich the video-calling experience on the platform and positions WhatsApp in direct competition with established video conferencing apps such as Google Meet, Zoom, and Apple FaceTime.
Screen sharing ability on the platform was initially released for select Android beta testers in May. The process of initiating screen sharing involves simply tapping or clicking on the designated "Share" icon. Users are then presented with the option to share either a specific application or their entire screen, mirroring the functionality of established video-conferencing platforms such as Google Meet and Zoom.