WhatsApp is rolling out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.23.20.11.
What’s new in this update? WhatsApp is working on a feature to manage when automatically removing channel media from the device, and it will be available in a future update of the app!
| Common questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature? | Auto-remove media |
| Status? | Under development |
| Availability? | WhatsApp is working on bringing an auto-remove channel media feature to a future update of the app. |
| I’ve installed this update but I don’t have this feature. Why? | This feature is under development so it’s not ready for beta testers, but you can discover a preview in this article. |
| Special thanks: | Swakshan, for collaborating, testing, and reporting! |
| Previous news? | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.20.10: what’s new? WhatsApp is working on an improved interface by introducing new icons and colors! |
AUTO-REMOVE MEDIA
In the article about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.20.6 update, we announced a new feature in development: a channel update reply feature. This will be a new useful tool to interact with the content and updates users receive from channels, adding important discussion features to channels. However, WhatsApp is also working on bringing a better user experience to channels by introducing new features aimed to enhance control over media they receive. Specifically, thanks to the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.20.11 update, which is available on the Google Play Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is working on a feature to manage when automatically removing channel media from the device!
As you can see in this screenshot, there will be a new section called “Channel Settings” where users can choose when images and videos shared within channels have to be automatically removed from the device. At the moment, WhatsApp might not immediately delete channel media from the user device as the default option is “Never”, and this could cause cause users to unintentionally accumulate a significant amount of channel media on their devices over time, potentially leading to storage issues. It’s worth nothing that this screenshot also shows a white top app bar inside the channel settings section, spotted with the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.18.18: this further confirms that the white top app bar will be available in any section of the app.
In our opinion, users will have greater control over how long this media remains on their device with the introduction of this feature, enhancing their overall WhatsApp experience. This means that users no longer need to manually manage their channel media to free up storage space on their devices, as there will be an automatic option in a future update. It’s important to note that deleted media will be downloaded once the user opens the channel again. In addition, it seems that this is an individual setting, allowing users to disable it for one channel while keeping it active for another.
The feature to manage when automatically removing channel media is under development and it will be available in a future update of the app. As always, we will publish a new article when we have further information to share with you.
Stay up-to-date on WhatsApp news by following WABetaInfo on X where you can also discover other new features for WhatsApp beta for Android, iOS, Web/Desktop, and Windows.
Do you like this news? Please, let us know on X: we love hearing your feedback! If you’re curious to see where you can find WABetaInfo, there is a dedicated page where you can discover our services.
In addition, we have set up a Discord Server where you can chat with other people, get help and advice, and stay up to date with the latest announcements from WABetaInfo.