WhatsApp is rolling out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.23.6.12.
What’s new in this update? WhatsApp is releasing profile icons within group chats, for some lucky beta testers!
| Common questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature? | Profile icons – group chats |
| Status? | Rolling out |
| Compatibility? | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.6.12 is marked as a compatible update, but some users may be able to get the same feature after installing one of these builds: 2.23.6.9 and 2.23.5.13. |
| I’ve installed this update but I don’t have this feature. Why? | This feature has been released to some lucky beta testers. In case you don’t see profile icons within your group chats, please wait for a future update. |
| Thanks: | Ghost and Pere_Kun, for testing and reporting! |
| How to join the community on WhatsApp? | WABetaInfo Community |
| Previous news? | WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.5.0.75: what’s new? Thanks to the business version of the app, we discovered that WhatsApp is working on introducing communities on the business app! |
PROFILE ICONS
In the article about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.4.18 update, we announced that WhatsApp was working on bringing profile icons within group chats. The feature has already been released in a previous update of WhatsApp beta for iOS, but it was under development on WhatsApp for Android and we did not receive any recent updates on the development of this feature until today. In fact, WhatsApp is finally rolling out profile icons within group chats to some lucky beta testers that install the latest update of WhatsApp beta for Android from the Play Store!
As you can see in this screenshot, you need to open a group chat in order to discover if the feature is available for your WhatsApp account. This feature will definitely help users improve group member identification and make it easier to participate in group conversations as it also helps everyone quickly distinguish between different members thanks to their profile icon.
As we explained in our previous article when the feature was in development, the profile icon is especially useful when group members share identical names or do not have a profile photo. In particular, when a group member doesn’t have a profile photo or it is hidden, WhatsApp will display a default empty profile photo: this default icon is easily recognizable due to its unique characteristics, including its color, which is the same as the corresponding contact name.
The feature that adds profile icons to group chats is available for some beta testers after installing the latest update of WhatsApp beta for Android on the Play Store. In case the feature is not enabled for your WhatsApp account, don’t worry because it is only available to some lucky beta testers and it is rolling out to even more people over the coming weeks.
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