WhatsApp is testing Zaps to send instant photos and videos

WhatsApp keeps working on Instants, the new ephemeral camera feature already available on Instagram. WhatsApp is renaming Instant to Zap, so photos and videos shared with this feature are called Zaps. Users will be able to share their Zaps with anyone on WhatsApp, including groups and unknown contacts.

WhatsApp was testing Instants on Android

In the post about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.45.13 update, we announced Instants, a new ephemeral camera feature inspired by the same experience available on Instagram. Users can open Instants by tapping the a lightning bolt button at the top of the Chats tab. Here, they can take a photo or video to share with their contacts. We reported that the photo or video disappears after the recipient views it, so the recipient can only view it once before it disappears. Instants are end-to-end encrypted, so only the sender and the recipient can see them.

WhatsApp is now refining Instants with Zaps on Android

WhatsApp is continuing to develop Instants, and we have now more details about how this feature works. When users take a photo using the new instant camera, they're creating a Zap. We discovered this with the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.46.2 update, which available on the Google Play Store. Specifically, WhatsApp is refining Instants by introducing Zaps. This feature expands who users can send their Zaps to. It will also introduce new tools to interact with Zaps within the chat interface.

What Zap means, and why the name fits the feature

The name Zap reflects the core idea behind this feature. A zap suggests something fast, immediate, and spontaneous. This is exactly what WhatsApp wants users to experience with this new ephemeral feature. The lightning bolt button that users tap to open the Instants camera supports this connection. The name also keeps things simple: users send a Zap, and the recipient gets a Zap. If users send more than one, the chat will show some Zaps.

Who users can send a Zap to

WhatsApp is expanding who users can send a Zap to. Previously, we reported that WhatsApp was limiting Instants to work only with mutual contacts. With this update, WhatsApp plans an extension for this functionality. In particular, users will be able to send a Zap to any contact and group. WhatsApp may also let users share their Zaps with channels, though it is not clear whether this will be available immediately.

How Zaps appear in the chat interface

Once the sender shares a Zap, WhatsApp shows it in the chat interface rather than in a separate section. The recipient will be able to see it inline where they can see other messages. If the sender shares more than one Zap in the same conversation, WhatsApp groups them into a single unit that shows the total count. For example, two Zaps appear as "2 Zaps" in the chat screen. This design will keep the conversation clean without splitting multiple Zaps into separate messages.

How recipients can interact with a Zap

When a recipient opens a Zap, WhatsApp shows it in a dedicated interface. WhatsApp shows the sender name at the bottom of the screen. The recipient will be able to react to the zap using any emoji. In addition, they can reply to the Zap by typing a message in the reply bar. The Zap will disappear after the recipient views it, but the sender can still see them in the chat permanently. However, WhatsApp won't show Zaps in the chat info screen where users can see their other media files.

WhatsApp is developing Zaps for a future Android update

Zaps are currently under development on Android. Since this feature is in development, it is not available for testing. WhatsApp will release it to the public in a future update. At the moment, WhatsApp has not announced when this feature will be available.

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