WhatsApp introduces a new shortcut to share Reels in chats

Users who linked their WhatsApp account to Accounts Center can easily share Instagram Reels from the chat attachment menu. WhatsApp is adding a dedicated shortcut to open a section where they can find their recent, saved, and liked Reels. This update makes it easier for users to notice that they can share Reels from the chat interface.

WhatsApp rolled out access to Instagram and Facebook media

Last month, we announced a feature that lets users access to their Instagram and Facebook media within WhatsApp. Users who linked their accounts through Accounts Center could see their stories, posts, and reels from the media picker without opening Instagram or Facebook. WhatsApp displays them in a separate section of the picker by tapping the dropdown at the top of the screen. The feature works for both chats and status updates, and Accounts Center is still optional.

WhatsApp is adding a dedicated Reels shortcut to the chat attachment menu

WhatsApp is now making the new feature to share Reels easier to notice. Instead of opening the media picker, users can find a dedicated Reels button in the chat attachment menu. We discovered this with the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.42.9 update, which is available on the Google Play Store. With this update, WhatsApp is rolling out a shortcut to share Reels in chats to some beta testers. This feature is optional, so it's up to users to decide whether to add their account to Accounts Center and use it.

What the new Reels shortcut looks like

With the latest update, WhatsApp just added the Reels button to the attachment menu. It appears only when the feature is available and when users linked their WhatsApp account to Accounts Center. This means that users will have to use Accounts Center if they want to quickly send a reel. When they tap the button, WhatsApp opens a dedicated screen where users can send a reel or a post.

What the Reels picker shows

At the top of the interface, WhatsApp shows three tabs: Recents, Saved, and Liked. The Recents tab shows the Reels the user recently watched on Instagram. The Saved tab shows Reels the user saved on Instagram. The Liked tab shows Reels the user liked. Users can browse any of the three tabs and select a reel to share in the chat.

How this shortcut differs from the previous section

Before this update, users needed to open the source list in the gallery picker to access Instagram Reels within WhatsApp. Users had to switch to the list view and select Instagram. The feature was already available, but users couldn't find it easily. With the new shortcut, WhatsApp is making it easier for users to notice it and share Reels. Users can tap it from the chat attachment menu and choose which Reel they want to share.

The feature is available to users who use Accounts Center

The Reels shortcut is not visible to everyone. WhatsApp only shows it to users who linked their account to Accounts Center. Users who have not connected their accounts cannot see the Reels button in the attachment menu. Note that Accounts Center is still optional. This means that users who want to keep their WhatsApp account separate from Instagram and Facebook do not need to connect them. The shortcut is simply a more convenient entry point for users who decide to link their accounts.

WhatsApp is rolling out the Reels shortcut to Android beta testers

The shortcut to share Reels is available to some users who install the latest update from the Google Play Store. WhatsApp is rolling it out gradually, so not every beta tester will see the button immediately. If the Reels option does not appear in the attachment menu yet, it should become available to more accounts over the coming weeks. WhatsApp has not announced when this will be available to everyone.

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