WhatsApp rolled out a neat new beta for Android, now allowing users to star important messages so they can easily find them later.
Amid a wide range of messaging apps currently available on the market, WhatsApp enjoys great popularity and appeals to numerous users on various platforms. Boasting more than one billion users worldwide, WhatsApp continues to add new functionality and test new features to improve the overall experience.
Heavy users who communicate extensively on WhatsApp typically end up with a slew of messages stored on the app, and finding a specific one may feel like finding a needle in a haystack. WhatsApp does have a search function, but it may not be the most convenient way to find a specific message, especially if you don't really remember the exact words used.
Starred messages can be a great alternative, allowing users to find specific messages faster and more easily. With the option to star one or multiple messages, users can basically bookmark the important information so they can quickly find it later without having to look through a slew of messages.
It seems like a small feature, but its usefulness makes it odd that it hasn't been an option so far. Even now, this feature rolls out only in beta for Android users, which means that the main app for all users has yet to receive the update with starred messages.
With the new beta, tapping and holding on any message will now display a new star icon in the app's toolbar, next to the delete and copy icons. Tapping the star icon will display a star next to a timestamp at the bottom of the message so you know it's starred. If you want to remove said message from the starred list, simply tap it and hold it again, then select the crossed star icon that appears.
Users will be able to access starred messages from the overflow menu of the app. Starred messages can include text, photos, videos and audio.
WhatsApp for iOS got the option to star messages last month, but it now seems that the Android rollout is not far away. For now, Android users who want to give it a shot can download the APK and try out the beta, as the stable version is yet to hit the Play Store. The beta works well and without hiccups, but it may still have a bug or two.
