WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.27.5: what's new?

WhatsApp has released a new Android update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.25.27.5.
What's new in this update? WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that allows users to choose who can reshare their status updates, and it's available to some beta testers!

In the article about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.16.19 update, we announced that a feature to enable users to reshare status updates from their contacts was under development. This functionality was designed to simplify the process of amplifying updates, allowing users to quickly share content without the need for screenshots or manual copying. WhatsApp developed this feature is a way that the reshare option appears only when the original author has explicitly enabled it in their privacy settings, ensuring that users remain in full control over how their updates can be distributed. It appears that WhatsApp is now testing this feature with the public, as some beta testers reported that the resharing toggle is visible in their status editor. Following the release of the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.27.5 update, which is available on the Google Play Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that allows users to choose who can reshare their status updates!

As you can see from the attached screenshot, WhatsApp has added a dedicated toggle in the drawing editor screen that lets users decide whether their status updates can be reshared by others. This control appears in the same menu where the audience for the status is normally selected, and its placement within this familiar interface ensures that users can easily find and manage the option without disrupting their usual posting flow.

With this update, WhatsApp now gives users the possibility to manage resharing their status updates, so they can immediately decide whether others should be able to amplify it. When the author enables resharing, any contact who can view the status according to the chosen privacy filters will also have the ability to share it on their own status feed. This also allows the update to reach a wider audience, as it becomes visible to people who can view the status of the person resharing it.

In order to avoid confusion, WhatsApp clearly marks reshared content with a visible label placed at the top of the screen, which appears in the same way as it does for reshared status updates that contain mentions. Although the underlying mechanics of this process are very similar to mentions, the key difference is the greater flexibility: resharing is no longer restricted to situations where someone is mentioned, but can be done wherever applicable to any type of status update. This shift allows WhatsApp to offer a broader and more versatile approach to sharing, while still protecting the original author's preferences.

It is important to note that the resharing option remains disabled by default, so no user will find their updates shared unexpectedly. Only those who deliberately enable the option will make their content available for redistribution. Even in those cases, the personal details of the original author are never visible to others, as WhatsApp does not preserve or expose this information during the resharing process.

This private approach is consistent with how message forwarding already works within chats, where WhatsApp does not transfer sensitive metadata such as the sender's phone number. In the same way, when a status update is reshared, information about the original author is not available at all, since WhatsApp does not retain or forward this detail in the resharing process. This ensures that the wider distribution of content cannot reveal sensitive data that could identify the original poster.

The feature feels well-integrated into the existing interface and does not add unnecessary complexity to the process of creating a status. In fact, many users see it as a practical improvement that reduces friction when they want to spread their status updates more widely. In addition, WhatsApp continues to emphasize transparency and privacy: authors are always notified when their content has been reshared, and the interface makes it clear when users are viewing content that was originally posted by someone else. These design choices strike a balance between convenience and user safety, while making the resharing process transparent for all users.

A feature that allows users to choose who can reshare their status updates is available to some beta testers who install the latest updates of WhatsApp beta for Android from the Google Play Store, and it is rolling out to even more people over the coming weeks.

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