5 new features coming to WhatsApp mobile app and web soon

Ability to chat with yourself

Currently, WhatsApp users can send messages to themselves. With the new feature, the platform will highlight that chat by adding “message yourself” as the chat caption. A report by WaBetaInfo adds that the chat with your phone number option will also be available within your contacts list on WhatsApp so it becomes easier for users to reach their own chat.

Profile photos in Group chats

Another WhatsApp feature under development is the ability to set profile photos for individual contacts in Group chats. The profile photo of group members will show up when receiving a message in a group. In case the group member doesn’t have a profile picture or it’s not available due to their privacy settings, the default profile icon will show up in the chat.

Ability to forward media with caption

WhatsApp will soon allow users to forward images, videos, GIFs, and documents, with a caption. The feature is currently available on the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.22.23.15 update from the Google Play Store. It is likely to roll out to other devices as well.

New blur tool for images

The ability to blur images is currently available to some desktop beta testers. The feature allows WhatsApp users to censure sensitive information from their images in a neat way. WhatsApp, as per the report, has created two blur tools allowing users to edit their images by using an alternate blur effect. Users can also choose the blur size in order to apply the effect with granular precision

Media auto-download on desktop

WhatsApp will soon allow its desktop users on both Windows and macOS to manage auto-download settings for photos, videos, and documents. The feature, at present, is available to beta desktop users only.