Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg just announced in a Facebook post that WhatsApp is undergoing an upgrade enabling users to share high-definition (HD) photos directly through the messaging app, according to TechCrunch.
To use this new feature, you must update the application to its latest version. Upon completing the update, there should be a new “HD” icon located at the upper part of the photo-sharing interface, adjacent to other tools for image manipulation, such as rotation, and those dedicated to adding text and stickers to the image.
Upon selecting the “HD” button, a pop-up window will emerge, providing the option to designate the desired photo quality. The default setting is “Standard Quality,” which has been chosen by WhatsApp to guarantee prompt and dependable photo sharing. However, you now have the option to choose “HD quality” to retain the high-definition rendition of the image.
After you have sent the image, the recipient will see a photo with an HD label appearing at the bottom-left corner, showing that you have shared an image of higher quality. All images are safeguarded by WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption.
If you receive a photo while connected to a network with limited bandwidth, you can make a per-photo decision on whether to retain the standard version or upgrade it to HD.
Take note that WhatsApp doesn’t transmit full-size photos, and there is still some compression applied to the images. What you’re actually sending are photos of better quality, but they are not completely uncompressed.
The global rollout of the HD photos feature will occur gradually over the upcoming weeks, and WhatsApp says support for HD videos is coming soon.
