WhatsApp now indicates users when chats are end-to-end encrypted
WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature, that indicates users when their chats are end-to-end encrypted to offer an extra layer of protection. Notably, this encryption status is promptly visible at the top of the chat interface like a proactive approach to remind people regarding the security status.
It means, as soon as you open a particular contact or group for conversation or to share any media, you will be able to see whether your chat is end-to-end encrypted or not, just below the name of the contact or we can say at the place where WhatsApp shows the status of person’s online and last seen.
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With this enhancement, users will remain aware when their chats are securely encrypted using the Signal protocol, serving as a visual confirmation that nobody can read their messages and listen to their calls. In addition, this feature will further familiarize users with the security measures implemented by WhatsApp.
It is important to note that this caption disappears after a few seconds so the last seen info can appear. Accordingly, this new WhatsApp feature which indicates users when their chats are end-to-end encrypted is currently available to some beta testers and will roll out to more users in the coming weeks.
WhatsApp adds animated confetti emoji reactions for New Year
WhatsApp is bringing a fun new feature to its app just in time for New Year celebrations. The latest update for WhatsApp beta users arrives with version 2.24.24.17, which introduces animated confetti reactions for certain emojis.
At the moment, the animated confetti emoji reactions are available to some WhatsApp beta testers on Android. It will likely be rolled out to everyone in the coming week with the stable update, obviously, ahead of the new year.
The fresh beta update adds a playful twist to your reactions. When you use the Party Popper, Partying Face, or Confetti Ball emojis to react to a message, colorful confetti will burst out of the emoji to create a lively and celebratory animation.
The confetti animation is powered by Lottie, a framework that helps create smooth and high-quality animations. This ensures the effects don’t slow down the app or use too much memory to make it run smoothly without affecting performance.
The new feature is perfect for marking moments of joy or sharing the excitement of the holiday season. If you’re a beta tester, you can try it out by reacting to a message with one of the festive emojis and watching the confetti burst to life.
WhatsApp introduces camera and gallery shortcuts in chat bar
WhatsApp introduces camera and gallery shortcuts in chat bar
WhatsApp is rolling out a new update for beta testers with version 2.24.24.16, which brings new shortcuts to the chat interface. This update introduces a gallery shortcut to make it easier to share photos and videos from your phone directly within chats.
WhatsApp recently replaced the camera shortcut in the chat bar with a gallery button for beta users. While this change allowed users to quickly share stored photos and videos, many users missed the camera shortcut, which gave them fast access to the camera for capturing moments on the spot.
Based on feedback, WhatsApp has decided to bring back both shortcuts in the chat bar. Now, users will see two buttons in the chat interface – one for quickly taking a photo or video using the camera and another for browsing and sharing photos or videos from their gallery.
These two shortcuts for the chat interface of WhatsApp make it quicker to share photos or capture new ones, without having to navigate through extra menus.
This feature is still in beta, so it’s available to only some testers right now. The feature will gradually be rolled out to more users in the coming weeks
WhatsApp is collecting feedback to see if the new dual shortcut setup improves the experience or if it feels cluttered. If you are testing beta on WhatsApp, install the latest version now.
WhatsApp introduces themed icons for contacts and groups
WhatsApp is testing a new feature in its latest beta update that will bring themed icons to contacts and group chats. Users of Android devices can verify the new update via version 2.24.24.12.
Currently, when a contact or group chat doesn’t have a profile photo, WhatsApp shows a simple grey icon. In the upcoming update, WhatsApp will introduce colorful icons, which makes it easier to tell contacts and groups apart.
Each icon will have its color, which will help users quickly identify chats, even if they have the same name or no profile picture. This change is similar to the color-coded icons seen in the Android address book for contacts without photos.
The new themed icons will be especially useful for users who don’t set profile pictures, as the different colors will make it much simpler to recognize who’s who.
WhatsApp’s new colorful icons feature is under testing and will be available in a future update. If you’re using the WhatsApp beta on an Android device, you may see this feature in the coming weeks.
Aside from this, WhatsApp is also testing the new color theme feature, allowing users to choose the main color of the app. The light mode will get a sleek black theme instead of the usual green, while the dark mode will feature white as the primary color.
These features and changes aim to give WhatsApp a modern, minimalist look while improving readability. Stay tuned for updates as WhatsApp is continuously working to make new features available for users.
WhatsApp to let users pick their preferred main color for app interface