WhatsApp To Soon Borrow A Feature From Instagram, Users Might Be Able To Like React On Status Updates

The new feature, currently being rolled out to testers, is expected to reach more users in the coming weeks.

Some testers might notice a heart icon on the status screen when viewing their contacts' statuses.

Source : Unsplash/Grant Davies

WhatsApp has been on a roll for experimenting with new features with the plans of introducing them to enhance the overall user experience. Now it seems like it is going to borrow a feature from another Meta-owned platform, i.e., Instagram. Instagram users are able to like the stories of the people that they follow. WhatsApp users might be able to do the same in future. According to a report by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp users might soon be able to 'like' react options for status updates of the people in their contacts.

According to the report, the feature is undergoing testing in the Android beta '2.24.17.21' version.

📝 WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.17.21: what's new?

WhatsApp is rolling out a like reaction feature for status updates, and it's available to some beta testers!
Some users can experiment with this feature by installing certain previous updates.https://t.co/o9Gi2V9Ctv pic.twitter.com/eFJVJhscSe

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) August 15, 2024

WhatsApp New Feature: Here's What We Know

The new feature, currently being rolled out to testers, is expected to reach more users in the coming weeks. The 'like' reaction feature for status updates, which began development in April, is now being tested. This feature allows users to quickly show appreciation for a status while keeping the chat screen less cluttered with multiple reactions.

According to the report, some testers might notice a heart icon on the status screen when viewing their contacts' statuses. Tapping this icon will notify the uploader that someone liked their status update, with the reactions appearing in the viewers sheet. This feature will enable users to see who viewed and liked their status in one place. Users may also have the option to disable like notifications in the settings, which would be beneficial for those receiving a high volume of notifications. However, likes can still be tracked in the viewers sheet.

WABetaInfo mentioned that these reactions will be private and end-to-end encrypted, accessible only to the uploader of the status. Additionally, WhatsApp is working on introducing chat themes, allowing users to customise chat bubble colors and wallpapers on Android, with at least 10 options expected to be available in the future.