Latest WhatsApp Beta News and Feature Updates

WhatsApp is redesigning the media viewer interface to include a new set of tools to react and reply without leaving the full-screen view. The new design replaces the old shortcuts with a new reply bar. Users can now respond to a photo or video with any type of message, including voice notes and attachments, directly from the media viewer.

WhatsApp is introducing a home screen widget for voice messages on Android, so users can record and send a voice note without opening a specific chat. The widget opens a dedicated recording screen with controls to pause, resume, discard, or confirm the recording. Once they record the voice note, users can share it with one or more recipients at once.

WhatsApp is rolling out the ability to edit status captions on Android, so users can fix mistakes without deleting and reposting the update. The option appears in two different spots, and users have 15 minutes to make their changes. Viewers see no indication that the caption was edited.

WhatsApp is introducing a dedicated section to make parental controls easier to find. The new entry point is now visible directly within the settings screen, where parents can find it right away. This makes a feature that was already available much easier to discover and set up.

WhatsApp plans to replace the current PIN used for two-step verification with an account password. This change would make the verification process more robust, since a password can include both letters and numbers. The update targets a security layer that WhatsApp never updated since its introduction.