Latest WhatsApp Beta News and Feature Updates

WhatsApp is introducing Side Chat, a feature that lets a limited number of users ask Meta AI for help privately on Android and iOS. With Side Chat, you can open a separate panel where Meta AI understands the context of the conversation, and Private Processing keeps everything secure. This makes it easier for users to ask for private help exactly when they need it.

WhatsApp users on Android and iOS can now see a warning even before they open a chat with a stranger. It shows the country where the phone number is registered, and if you have any groups in common. It's a small pause, but it's exactly what scammers don't want you to have.

A security feature on WhatsApp for iOS and Android makes it harder for scammers to trick people into giving away access. Scammers don't need your password, as they just need you to enter a code yourself or confirm something. WhatsApp steps in right before that code grants them access.

After nearly seven years leading WhatsApp, Will Cathcart is moving to a new role within Meta. CRED founder Kunal Shah will take over as the platform's next leader. The transition marks one of the biggest leadership changes WhatsApp has seen since Cathcart took over in 2018.

Users on WhatsApp for Android and iOS have a reliable way to check if someone blocked them in a chat. It involves a feature most people overlook: encryption verification. It's also more discreet than sending a message, since the other person never knows you checked.