Meta-owned WhatsApp is reportedly developing an array of new features aimed at enhancing user experience on the popular chatting platform.

According to IANS, these upcoming features include locked chats on linked devices, extended status updates, new channel exploration shortcuts, autoplay settings for animated images, and hidden community group chats.

One of the key features currently being tested by some beta users is “locked chats on linked devices”.

This functionality allows users to protect specific conversations on their linked devices by requiring a secret code to access the locked chats folder, adding an extra layer of security to their private messages.
Another significant update in the works is the extension of status updates to accommodate videos up to 1 minute in length. Previously, users could only share videos of up to 30 seconds. This new feature is already available to a subset of beta testers and will be rolled out more broadly in the coming weeks, allowing users to share longer video updates with their contacts.

WhatsApp has also introduced a new shortcut designed to make exploring new channels more visible and accessible. This feature, currently available to some beta testers, aims to enhance user engagement with content discovery by simplifying the process of finding and following new channels.

In addition, WhatsApp is working on a setting to manage the “autoplay of animated images” within the app. This feature will allow users to disable animations for emojis, stickers, and avatars, giving them greater control over their chat experience. This setting is still under development and will be included in a future update of the app.

Lastly, WhatsApp is developing a feature that will enable users to mark community group chats as hidden. This feature will provide users with more privacy and control over their community interactions and is expected to be available in an upcoming app update.

These new features are part of WhatsApp’s ongoing efforts to improve user experience by providing more security options, enhanced content-sharing capabilities, and better control over chat settings. As these features undergo testing and development, users can look forward to a more versatile and secure messaging platform.