WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature on iOS that allows users to share photos and videos as a document to preserve their original quality. This feature is an alternative to the compressed approaches the communications app defaults to.
Previous efforts have been made to send full-resolution photos and videos via WhatsApp, which involved manually changing its file extension to PDF or DOC. Removing that extra work streamlines things considerably for users, providing an easier way to share high-quality media alongside the HD Pictures update that WhatsApp released this summer.
When the new feature comes out, users can access it by tapping the “+” in chat, selecting “Document”, and then “Choose Photo or Video.” Once sent, recipients can tap into the file on WhatsApp to view photos and videos, but previews don’t appear in the main chat interface. There’s a 2GB limit on the files that can be sent using the feature.
WhatsApp has also been testing the same feature for Android users since at least September this year, which suggests a stable release for Android devices may be pretty close behind.
