WhatsApp is rolling out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.23.15.4.
What’s new in this update? WhatsApp is releasing a full-width messaging interface for community announcement groups, and it is available to some beta testers!
| Common questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature? | Full-width messaging interface – community announcement group |
| Status? | Rolling out |
| Compatibility? | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.15.4 is marked as a compatible update, but some lucky beta testers may be able to get the same feature by installing the previous 2.23.15.3 update. |
| I’ve installed this update but I don’t have this feature. Why? | This feature is available to some beta testers, and it’s rolling out to more users over the coming weeks. |
| Thanks: | meet2r, for testing and reporting! |
| Previous news? | WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.14.1.72: what’s new? WhatsApp is widely rolling out a feature to link your account to WhatsApp Web by using your phone number! |
FULL-WIDTH MESSAGING INTERFACE
In the article about the WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.7.0.70 update, we announced that a new interface was available for the community announcement group. With the new interface, which features a messaging style that takes up the entire width of the screen, WhatsApp aims to highlight when you’re in a conversation where only an admin or a small group of users can send messages. Note that WhatsApp already uses the same interface for channels (currently available only in Singapore and Colombia) and now, thanks to the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.15.4 update from the Google Play Store, the new full-width messaging interface is also available for the community announcement group to some beta testers.
As you can see in the attached screenshot, the community announcement group may appear with a different interface. In particular, the message bubbles now take up the full width of the screen, with the profile icon visible within the bubble. As we explained in the article about the iOS version, this update significantly improves message readability, as the wider line allows users to read messages more easily. Note that this interface is exclusive to certain conversations, such as channels and community announcement groups, making them easily stand out from other chats.
If you are among those lucky users who managed to join our community announcement group on WhatsApp before it reached maximum capacity, opening our community is the best way to discover if the new interface is available for your account. Alternatively, you can open any other community announcement group since the new interface is not limited to our community. If you don’t have any community on WhatsApp, you can temporarily create one just to verify if the new full-width messaging interface is enabled for your account.
The full-width messaging experience within community announcement groups is available to some beta testers that install the latest WhatsApp beta for Android update from the Google Play Store. In case this feature is not available for your account, note that it is rolling out to even more people over the coming weeks.
Stay up-to-date on WhatsApp news by following WABetaInfo on Twitter where you can also discover other new features for WhatsApp beta for Android, iOS, Web/Desktop, and Windows.
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