WhatsApp is rolling out a channel reply feature for admins on iOS
With the latest beta version available on TestFlight, WhatsApp is introducing a feature that lets channel admins respond directly to their updates. This feature links the reply to the original update so followers can easily follow the conversation and view the full context.
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature: | Channel replies |
| Status: | Rolling out |
| Compatibility: | WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.13.10.70 has been designated as a compatible update. |
| Availability info: | This feature is available to some beta testers, and it is rolling out to more users over the coming weeks. |
| Previous news: | WhatsApp alerts users targeted by government spyware via unofficial apps! |
WhatsApp launches update replies for channel admins
In the post about the WhatsApp beta for iOS 24.8.10.76 update, we announced a feature for channel owners to reply to their updates. With this functionality, channel admins will be able to respond to their own channel updates. This would make it easier to quote specific messages and keep context within the channel. So this improvement is expected to enhance communication clarity for channel followers.
After nearly two years since we announced the feature, WhatsApp is finally starting to test it in the beta version. The rollout is currently limited, as it is being gradually introduced to a limited group of beta testers. Following the release of the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.13.10.70 update, which is available on the TestFlight app, we discovered that WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that allows channel admins to reply to their updates.
As you can see from the attached image, some beta testers can access a feature that lets them reply to their channel updates. When WhatsApp released channels, this feature was not available. Specific reasons why this feature was unavailable are unknown. Earlier tests reported that WhatsApp was reportedly working on keeping a reference to the quoted update. This reference makes it possible for channel followers to reach the specific update it was linked to. Without this feature, admins have to include the channel update link manually in their messages to provide context. This makes it harder for followers to follow conversations and understand which update the reply referred to.
In the latest update, WhatsApp has successfully enabled some channel admins to reply to their updates while preserving a direct link to the original post. For example, channel admins can reply to an update to add more context. Once shared, channel followers will be able to see the reply along with a reference to the original update. As a result, they can easily navigate back to the initial post and understand the full context of the conversation.
To check if this feature is already available to your account, just open your channel. Here, tap and hold a channel update and see if the reply option is available within the context menu. You can also slide the message bubble to the right to see if WhatsApp automatically opens the reply interface. If you see the reply option, you can start responding to that update and post the reply. WhatsApp will automatically include a link back to the original post so followers can easily view the context. As a result, this feature makes channel updates more connected, easier to follow, and provides followers with full context by linking replies directly to the original updates.
It's important to note that WhatsApp Channels are designed to offer an update history up to 30 days. Channel admins can still reply to updates shared more than 30 days earlier. However, if a channel admin replies to an update older than 30 days, only followers who joined the channel at least 29 days before the original update was posted will be able to see it. So channel followers may still be able to see that the update quotes another one, but the link to the original update may no longer be accessible.
The feature that allows channel admins to reply to their updates is available to some beta testers who install the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS update from TestFlight. Note that some users who install the latest WhatsApp update from the App Store may also explore the same feature. This means that WhatsApp aims to receive feedback from a larger audience beyond beta testers.
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