WhatsApp new features launching in 2023: Companion mode, business directory, view once text, and more

WhatsApp is all set to launch a handful of new features this year. The company has already been testing some of these features on beta users, and it won’t be long before they are rolled out for all. The WhatsApp new features 2023 list is likely to include a screen lock for the desktop app, short video messages, screen sharing, a new interface for Android, and more. In this article, we have compiled a list of new WhatsApp features launched or expected to launch in 2023.

WhatsApp features launched in 2023

Here are the WhatsApp features that are now live in the stable version of the app.

WhatsApp Search for messages by date

WhatsApp’s search for messages by date feature is now available for all iPhone users. This will help users to find a particular message in the long chat history. The feature allows users to find and search messages by date. In order to use this feature, make sure WhatsApp is updated 23.1.75 app version. After this, go to the chat window –> click on the profile –> tap on ‘Search’ –> the search box will appear on the chat window. To look for messages by date, select the calendar icon just above the on-screen keyboard and choose the date and month.

Dedicated video mode

In order to simplify clicking images and videos, WhatsApp has revamped the inbuilt camera interface by introducing a dedicated video mode. Previously, users had to press and hold the camera shutter button to record a video. With the changed UI, the video option now has its own button which the users can select to record videos, just like in the case of a phone’s default camera app. The dedicated video mode is currently available on version number 2.23.2.76 for Android.

Voice status

After beta testing the feature for the past several months, WhatsApp has started rolling out voice status on Android and iOS. This feature allows users to send a voice message in the form of status updates to their contacts. In order to use the feature, head over to the ‘Status’ tab on WhatsApp and select the ‘pencil’ icon at the bottom. On the next screen, tap on the ‘microphone’ icon and start recording your voice message for up to 30 seconds.

Private audience selector

WhatsApp now provides the flexibility of sharing your status updates with only those contacts that you select. The selection can be made for each and every status you upload. In order to use the feature, tap on the ‘camera’ or ‘pencil’ icon under the ‘Status’ tab –> create a text-based status or upload/click an image –> from the bottom left, select the ‘Status (excluded)’ button –> now pick the specifically pick the contacts you want to share the status with by selecting ‘Only share with…’ option and hit the ‘checkmark’ icon to upload. The contact selector is available on version number 2.23.2.76 for Android.

Status profile rings

Users will now be able to see the statuses of their contacts from the chat screen itself. This is indicated by a green ring on the profile picture which the users can tap on to directly view the status. The feature is rolling on Android with version number 2.23.2.76

Companion mode

After a long wait, WhatsApp has finally released the ability to use the same account on two more mobile phones through Companion mode. With this mode enabled, users will not be logged out from their primary mobile when signing into another phone and even unlocks the possibility of using WhatsApp on an Android phone and an iPhone simultaneously.

Chat lock

To ensure the maximum privacy of users’ chats, WhatsApp has rolled out a chat lock feature for Android and iOS that allows you to add a fingerprint lock or Face ID, in the case of an iPhone to private and group chats. To enable chat lock, here’s what you need to do:

• Head over to the profile’s info screen
• Scroll down to find the ‘chat lock’ option.
• Simply tap on it and enable the feature on the next screen

All the locked chats will be moved to a secure folder which can be accessed by swiping down on the Chats screen.

Editing messages

Just like Telegram, WhatsApp users will now be able to edit sent messages. This can come in handy to rectify or modify the text of the message. But there’s a catch. A message can only be edited within the first 15 minutes of sending it and an ‘edited’ text will be specifically mentioned under those messages. Here’s how to edit a sent chat message:

• Tap and hold on the message you wish to edit
• Now select the ‘Edit’ option from the 3-dot menu
• Make the changes to the text
• Lastly, hit the ‘tick’ option to finalise the changes

Status link previews

When posting a link on status, WhatsApp will now automatically add a preview image by fetching the thumbnail or featured image from the URL. This makes allows the viewers to get the context of the URL beforehand.

Share best-quality images

Sending images on WhatsApp tends to degrade the photo quality due to compression. To avoid this, the messaging platform has rolled out a new option under the ‘Storage and data’ section called ‘Photo upload quality’ in the Settings that lets users opt for the best possible upload quality for images.

Picture-in-Picture for video calls on iOS

WhatsApp users on Android have been enjoying video calls in Picture-in-Picture mode for well over a few months. The same functionality has arrived on iPhones which allow users to browse through other apps while minimising the video call into a small interface that can be dragged and placed anywhere on the screen. With PiP for video calls enabled, users will be able to multitask with ease.

Send full-resolution images

WhatsApp has also rolled out a feature that allows users to send images in full resolution. However, enabling this option doesn’t retain the image’s original size. The image quality is somewhat improved than the standard option of sharing images. The feature is currently available on the Android app with version number 2.23.12.78 and will soon roll out to iOS in the coming days.

Silence unknown calls

WhatsApp users can now silence calls by enabling an option from the app’s privacy settings. This feature can come in handy if you prefer not to receive calls from unknown or unsaved mobile numbers. The option is available on both Android on iOS and can be enabled by going to WhatsApp Settings > Privacy > Calls > Silence Unknown Callers.

WhatsApp Channels

WhatsApp Channels is a brand new feature that presents users with content curated from different topics and categories in one place. Just like Telegram channels, the creator or admin of the channel can send messages, images, videos, stickers, etc. to a channel which will be broadcasted to all members. This way, users can get updates from all over the world on their favourite topics and interests. WhatsApp channels are currently available in Singapore and Colombia but will roll out to everyone else later this year.

WhatsApp new features launching in 2023

WhatsApp has several new features in the pipeline that are expected to launch throughout 2023. Let’s take a quick look at each of them.

View Once text

Just like the name suggests, View Once will allow users to send a text-based message that will automatically be deleted when the recipient opens and reads it. The feature could come in really handy when you want the party on the other end to not store any confidential and private information. Consider it as the text alternative to the View Once photo feature that WhatsApp has been sporting for a while now.

Pinned messages

Pinning messages could soon be a thing on WhatsApp. With this feature, users will be able to pin any important message in a chat or group at the top which will allow other members of the chat to view the particular message without having to scroll through the whole chat. Pinned messages can be useful to pin an upcoming event, an alert, or to simply notify about something in the group chat.

Call tab on WhatsApp desktop

For most users, WhatsApp is the go-to solution for video calls and group calls. To keep up with all the recent and missed calls, WhatsApp may soon introduce a dedicated call tab for its desktop app. The call log will sync with the phone in real-time to provide users with up-to-date calling history. Do note that this functionality may not come to WhatsApp Web as it doesn’t natively support voice calling, unlike WhatsApp for Windows and Mac.

WhatsApp business directory

Currently rolling out in a handful of countries, WhatsApp business directory will let users find and connect with businesses based on various categories and niches which include restaurants, grocery stores, automobile services, etc. But for this to work, both existing and new WhatsApp Business accounts will have to send in their request to apply for the business directory and then only users on the platform will be able to find them. WhatsApp has also released additional details regarding the business directory on its official blog post. Furthermore, businesses will be able to provide a ‘add to cart’ functionality right within WhatsApp.

Screenlock for WhatsApp Desktop

Unlike the WhatsApp mobile app, the desktop app does not come with a biometric screen lock. Having a built-in screen lock adds additional layers of security provided the user has also enabled the device lock from settings. The feature could land on both Windows and Mac sometime in 2023.

Share up to 100 media files

WhatsApp could soon enable users to send up to 100 media files at once. With the current limit restricted to just 30 files, this change could come in handy for those who rely on WhatsApp for sharing tons of images on a daily basis. The feature is currently available for beta users and could soon make its way to the stable build in the coming weeks.

Sending compression-free images

When sending images through WhatsApp, it often deteriorates the quality of images resulting in a loss of details and resolution. However, a new feature that is said to be in the works could bring a dedicated button within the screenshot editor screen that will allow users to change the quality of the images to avoid any compression when sharing images to chats and groups.

Transfer chats without Google Drive

Transferring or restoring chats through Google Drive can be a tedious task when the backed-up data is huge in size. To solve this, WhatsApp may soon roll out a feature on Android that will no longer require the use of Google Drive when you wish to transfer your data from one phone to another.

Auto-convert voice messages to text

This is a feature that may be exclusive to iPhone initially. As the name suggests, the feature will automatically transcribe a voice message making it extremely convenient for the users to know the exact details without even listening to it. As per WABetaInfo, the conversion happens locally on the device and the transcriptions are end-to-end encrypted. Since the feature is still in beta, only the voice messages sent in English will be converted to text at the moment.

Auto share status on Facebook

Previously, WhatsApp users had to manually post their status updates as Facebook stories. However, in a future update, this could be all automated by allowing users to link their Facebook account to WhatsApp in order to share stories on both platforms simultaneously.

Short video messages

WhatsApp is developing a new communication feature behind the scenes that will enable users to send short video messages of up to 60 seconds in a private or group chat. Just like WhatsApp chats, short video messages will be end-to-end encrypted as well. The feature is up for testing for beta users on both Android and iPhone and is expected to launch soon for everyone.

Add contacts in WhatsApp

Whenever you receive a mobile number on WhatsApp and wish to save it as a contact, the app takes you to the phone’s contacts app where it prompts you to add the details such as name and email address. This could change soon as WhatsApp may introduce a brand new menu to save and edit new contacts straight from the app.

New layout

WhatsApp for Android may soon introduce a brand-new layout for the main screen that will introduce a bottom navigation bar with various tabs for Chats, Status, Communities, and Calls. A similar layout has been present on the iOS app since the beginning. With this design change, users won’t be able to swipe through the tabs.

Create WhatsApp stickers

WhatsApp could soon bring the ability to create stickers right from the app. As spotted in the latest WhatsApp beta update for iOS by WABetaInfo, a new tool could debut that will allow users to quickly create stickers from the images in their gallery. This option will be added to the ‘attachment’ section for quick access.

Screen sharing

WhatsApp is about to bring a key feature from Zoom and Google Meet. As the name suggests, screen sharing will enable users to share their phone’s screen with others on a live call. This feature will make it so much easier to explain things over a call. According to WABetaInfo, screen-sharing is available on the WhatsApp beta app for Android.

Usernames

Just like many other apps and platforms, WhatsApp is said to bring support for usernames. Once rolled out, this will make it easier for people, especially in group chats to tag you in a message and add you to a group without saving the phone number to contacts. This feature is currently in development.

Share high-quality videos

After rolling out the option to share images in high quality, WhatsApp is reportedly working on a feature that will enable users to send videos in a much better resolution with minimal compression. Users will have to toggle on the option from the media preview screen whenever they want the video to be shared in high quality. The option has been made available for WhatsApp beta users on Android.