WhatsApp is ramping up its communication features with a series of updates aimed at enhancing user experience and privacy for both Android and iOS users. The latest developments, reported on April 7 and 8, 2025, showcase the platform's commitment to staying at the forefront of messaging technology.
According to GSM Arena, WhatsApp has begun testing new audio and video call features for its Android users, rolling out in beta version 2.25.10.16. Among the updates is a mute button for incoming voice calls, which allows users to answer calls while keeping their microphone muted. This feature is particularly useful in noisy environments, enabling users to manage audio effectively during calls.
Another exciting addition is the ability to disable the camera before answering a video call. This gives users a few moments to prepare or maintain their privacy before appearing on screen, which is especially beneficial when receiving calls from unknown numbers. Additionally, WhatsApp is introducing emoji reactions during video calls, allowing participants to express themselves more dynamically and engage in real-time interactions.
These features are currently available to select beta testers and are expected to be rolled out to a wider audience in the coming weeks. As WhatsApp continues to evolve, users can look forward to even more enhancements tailored to their communication needs.
On April 8, 2025, WhatsApp also announced that it is testing a new security feature aimed at protecting sensitive information. This feature will block the receiver from downloading files that the sender deems sensitive, enhancing the privacy of conversations.
In a related development, WhatsApp is working on an Advanced Chat Privacy feature for its iOS app. This feature, which is still in development, is designed to improve privacy by restricting the automatic saving of shared media on the recipient's device. It was spotted in the beta version 25.10.10.70 of the WhatsApp iOS app.
When the Advanced Chat Privacy feature is enabled, recipients will not be able to save media files to their device's gallery. Instead, if they attempt to do so, they will see a pop-up message stating: "Advanced chat privacy has been turned on, and prevents media auto-saving to your device's gallery." This feature is optional and can be activated in the app's settings.
Moreover, the Advanced Chat Privacy feature may also prevent users from exporting entire chat histories involving conversations with users who have enabled this feature. This adds another layer of security for users who wish to keep their conversations private. However, it is important to note that while the feature restricts chat exports, users will still be able to forward individual messages or take screenshots.
According to the feature tracker WABetaInfo, enabling the Advanced Chat Privacy feature will also turn off the ability to interact with Meta AI, WhatsApp's artificial intelligence chatbot. This change is aimed at ensuring that users have more control over their chat environments.
WhatsApp's commitment to privacy and user control is further emphasized by its recent testing of options that allow users to control whether other chat members can export chats or automatically save media. This feature was also reported on April 8, 2025, and includes a toggle in the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS. When activated, this option prevents individual users or group chat members from exporting the entire chat history outside of WhatsApp.
Enabling this option in a group chat will notify all participants that advanced chat privacy has been activated. Additionally, the feature stops shared media from automatically saving to the recipients' camera rolls, even if they have the "Save all media" option enabled. However, it remains unclear whether this feature will also prevent manual saving of photos and videos.
For users looking to enhance their privacy further, WhatsApp suggests utilizing disappearing messages, which can be set to auto-delete after a specified time. This allows users to maintain a cleaner and more secure chat history.
In addition to these privacy-focused features, WhatsApp has also introduced a new option that allows users to include brief music clips in their Status updates. This feature, reminiscent of Myspace, enables users to share music clips of up to 15 seconds for photos and up to 60 seconds for videos. Importantly, the music shared on Status is end-to-end encrypted, ensuring that only friends can see the songs shared, while WhatsApp itself cannot view the content.
As WhatsApp continues to innovate, users can expect these updates to enhance their overall experience on the platform. The gradual rollout of new features reflects WhatsApp's responsiveness to user needs and its dedication to providing a secure and engaging messaging environment.
With these advancements, WhatsApp is not only improving its communication features but also reinforcing its commitment to user privacy, making it a leader in the messaging app landscape.
