For a very long time, people using WhatsApp on their smartphones have wanted a way to plan their texts in advance. The messaging company is finally granting this wish by rolling out a delayed sending feature to a small group of beta testers on Apple devices. This helpful addition allows people to write their thoughts now and have the platform automatically deliver the text at a later time, making daily communication much simpler.
Users can set delivery times up to two weeks ahead
According to early reports, testers running the latest iOS beta version can access this tool directly from the normal chat screen. After typing a message, you just tap and hold the send button to bring up a date and time menu. From there, you pick when you want the message to go out and confirm your choice.
The system gives you a fairly wide window for planning. You can set a message to send as soon as 10 minutes from the current time, or you can schedule it up to two weeks in the future. Once confirmed, the application stores it in a special section within the chat settings. You can review or delete the pending text from that menu before it goes out.
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The feature supports pictures and works well in group chats
This upcoming addition is not just limited to plain text messages. Beta testers can also schedule photos, videos, and internet links. There is one small catch with media files, however. You cannot queue up multiple pictures at the same time, meaning you have to schedule each photo or video as its own separate message.
The tool also works inside group conversations, but with a specific rule about who sees the text. Only the people who are part of the group at the moment you create the scheduled message will actually receive it. If a new person joins the group before the text goes out, they will not see it. While there is no official launch date yet, testing this on iPhones means WhatsApp might soon release scheduled messaging to the wider public.
With testing now active on smartphones, the ability to plan messages in advance is closer than ever. This update will save time and help users manage their daily conversations without having to watch the clock.
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