Meta is testing a bunch of new features in WhatsApp for iPhone, Android and Desktop, including AI wallpapers, summarizing long chat threads and more.
WABetaInfo regularly tracks upcoming WhatsApp features, and we’ve rounded up some of the best new capabilities currently being tested with early adopters.
Among them are AI image creation that will enable you to create unique chat wallpapers via text prompts, and summarizing long chat threads using Meta AI.
8 new features coming to WhatsApp
Meta is also testing other WhatsApp enhancements, including a new send animation, status resharing with privacy controls, per-chat translation language and more.
You must use the WhatsApp Beta (available on TestFlight) to test upcoming features. I haven’t been able to become a beta tester because every time I tried signing up for the WhatsApp Beta, TestFlight said the beta was full.
Sticker reactions
You can already react to WhatsApp messages and media with emoji, but soon you’ll be able to make your reactions even more personal by using any third-party stickers you’ve imported, AI stickers, downloaded packs, animated stickers and those available via the built-in sticker tray.
AI wallpapers via text prompts
Meta AI will let you create new wallpapers from scratch, based on a short description. You will be able to refine your prompt, and add some personalization. AI wallpapers can be generated for use in specific chats or globally across all chats. WhatsApp will continue offering built-in wallpapers in the Chats > Default Chat Theme section of its settings. Additionally, WhatsApp users will soon be able to create AI-generated profile photos and chat group icons using text prompts.
Catch up with summarized messages
WhatsApp will display a summary button for unread chats for those times when you don’t have the time to read the whole thread. Message summarization is available for individual chats, groups and channels. All processing is performed securely via Meta’s Private Processing to maintain end-to-end encryption and user privacy.
Recent activity under the Updates tab
The Updates tab will provide more information about your recent activity than before, like the most recently unread channel posts. Status timestamps are also arriving, displaying the last time someone posted a status. You’ll also be able to search statuses from your contacts. For privacy, WhatsApp will store your search history locally on the device.
Privacy controls for status reshares
WhatsApp will bring new privacy controls to adjust whether others can reshare your statuses. You will be able to turn status resharing on or off via a new toggle. If the poster has allowed resharing, you’ll see a forward button when viewing the status. And if someone shares your own status, you’ll be notified. Reshared statuses maintain privacy of the original poster by hiding their phone number and identity.
A redesigned interface in the Windows app
Meta is overhauling the interface in WhatsApp for Windows for a streamlined experience matching the updated look of WhatsApp for Mac and WhatsApp for Web. The overhaul includes a dedicated Channels tab that was missing from the Windows app, plus a Communities tab in the sidebar.
Per-chat transcription language
WhatsApp will make multilingual conversations easier by letting you set your preferred transcription language for each individual chat. WhatsApp can already translate chats (hold the chat bubble and choose “Translate”), but you must manually switch languages. With this change, WhatsApp will translate your chat even when the language is different than the one set in its settings.
A new send animation
WhatsApp is testing some visual tweaks, too, including a new animation when sending messages which uses a smooth transition effect as the message bubble appears. The new animation plays only when the last message is near the chat bar.
WhatsApp keeps getting better
These aren’t the only upcoming features being tested. For example, WhatsApp will enable to to export activity reports for Private Processing (similar to Apple Intelligence’s activity reports) for the sake of transparency, star channel updates, view recent searches for channels and status updates, and more.
While Apple’s built-in Messages app and the iMessage protocol are more or less stale, Meta has been consistently making WhatsApp better by releasing regular updates to its app across platforms. The company also replaced its awful Electron-based desktop app with a native Mac app.
Just in the past few months alone Meta has introduced a bunch of new WhatsApp features like preventing chat and media exports, replacing Apple Intelligence with Meta AI, pinching on video calls, Instagram account links in WhatsApp profiles and organizing message replies into threads, to name but a few.