WhatsApp has started rolling out a feature that lets users schedule messages in advance to some Android beta testers, according to WABetaInfo. The feature is not yet available to the general public. Messages can be set to go out between 10 minutes and two weeks after they are written.
What the WhatsApp feature does
WABetaInfo said in a post on X that WhatsApp is introducing a way to schedule text messages, photos and videos. The tipster said links, documents and other media are also covered, and that the feature may also work in group chats. A scheduled message will be sent automatically at the chosen time, even if the app is closed. This would also apply if the phone is offline at that moment.
WhatsApp Scheduled Messages: How it works
Users are expected to tap and hold the send button and then pick a time from a bottom sheet. For photos and videos, the same tap-and-hold gesture will be available in the gallery picker. In the screenshot shared by WABetaInfo, only one media item can be scheduled at a time from the media picker or gallery editor, where users can add captions or other edits. Several photos or videos cannot be scheduled together.
Managing scheduled messages
WhatsApp may add a 'Scheduled messages' tab to the chat info screen, where users can view or delete pending messages. If a sender deletes a scheduled message before it goes out, the recipient will not get any notification. In group chats, scheduled messages are visible only to the members who were in the group when the message was scheduled, so anyone who joins afterwards will not see them.
Who gets it and when
The feature is rolling out to select beta testers on Android version 2.26.40.7, which is available on the Google Play Store, WABetaInfo said. It is expected to reach more users in the coming weeks. Users without the feature can still receive scheduled messages from those who have it.
