WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.5.16: what's new?

WhatsApp is rolling out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.25.5.16.
What's new in this update? WhatsApp is releasing a bug-fix update to address an issue with downloading media, and it's available to everyone!

In the article about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.5.8 update, we announced that a new call menu feature for chats and groups is currently under development. This update will enhance the call experience by introducing a more intuitive interface that consolidates voice and video call options into a single and easy-to-access menu. With this new approach, WhatsApp plans to prioritize user convenience and minimize accidental calls while introducing new tools that simplify call management. By allowing users to select specific participants in a group call and quickly create call links, the redesigned call menu is set to improve convenience within chats and groups in the future. Meanwhile, a critical issue appears to have occurred with the same WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.5.8 update from the Google Play Store, affecting a large number of users.

With the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.5.8 update, several beta testers reported being unable to download media files from their chats and groups. This affects images, videos, GIFs, voice notes, video messages, and documents, restricting access to shared content. Additionally, many users have encountered severe problems with status updates, making it impossible to view them. The inability to access these essential features has significantly impacted the user experience, as media sharing and viewing play a crucial role in WhatsApp's functionality.

This update has caused several inconveniences, disrupting the user experience as it wasn't possible to retrieve shared media, listen to voice messages, view video messages, or access new important documents. Since this is a beta version, it's important to note that such issues are to be expected, and users should be prepared to face occasional bugs and disruptions. However, we understand that problems like these should become increasingly rare over time as WhatsApp refines its updates, as they really disrupt the overall functionality of the app and make it difficult for users to communicate smoothly. For this reason, we always recommend backing up chat history before updating WhatsApp, so users can uninstall a problematic update and revert to a previous version without losing their data.

Attempts to fix the issue by restarting the device or force-stopping the app were unsuccessful. A new bug fix update was necessary to resolve the problem, as announced on our X profile. Since some users have auto-updates enabled, they may have received this version automatically, which prevented them from downloading media. After installing the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.5.16 update from the Google Play Store, it is clear that this update is specifically designed to address the issue. This means that affected users can now download any media files on WhatsApp without experiencing any issues.

The fix is rolling out after installing the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.5.16 update from the Google Play Store. Please, make sure to install this build in order to use a version of WhatsApp without experiencing the bug.

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