WhatsApp users can now send 'HD' photos

The recipients will see a small icon that will help them know which photos are higher quality. (Image: Meta)

Meta-owned Instant Messaging (IM) platform, WhatsApp, has been updated to let users send high-quality (HD) images in chat.

The feature will roll out globally over the next few weeks, and will allow users to send higher resolution images on Android, iOS and web. The recipients will see a small icon that will help them know which photos are higher quality.

Also read | WhatsApp adds screen lock for web, tests group call enhancements on Android beta

According to WABetaInfo, who covered the feature in Beta earlier this year, the option only appears if you select a photo that is high-resolution.

While the option will preserve the dimensions of the image, light compression will still be applied. Users will also need to select HD quality from the menu each time, since it defaults to Standard quality.

Also read | WhatsApp allows users to share their screens with contacts

Once you send a higher quality photo, it is automatically tagged and an icon will be shown in the message bubble indicating the quality of the image.

The feature is limited to images shared withing conversations. You also cannot use HD photos for status updates. Meta says that support for HD videos is coming soon.