WhatsApp tests quick reactions for the Status feature nobody uses

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WhatsApp message thread on iPhone X
WhatsApp message thread on iPhone X (Image credit: Luke Filipowicz/iMore)

What you need to know

  • WhatsApp is testing a change that will allow people to quickly react to someone's Status update.
  • People will be able to select from one of eight different emojis.
  • There is no telling when the feature will roll out to every WhatsApp user.

WhatsApp is testing a way to make it easier for people to react to someone's Status update. The change is similar to a feature that existing users of Instagram Stories will be immediately familiar with.

The new quick reactions are available in a current WhatsApp desktop beta and are designed to give people a new way to react to someone's Status. The existing Status feature is one that is underused at best, but it can work in a way similar to Instagram Stories. With the new beta installed, users can quickly react to a new status with one of a handful of new emojis.

Whatsapp Status Reactions Screenshot

Whatsapp Status Reactions Screenshot (Image credit: WABetaInfo)

WABetaInfo notes that, right now, the reactions just appear in a chat thread as a normal emoji but that could well be something that changes in a future update. These are beta features, after all, and changes to the way they work should be expected before they ship to the version of WhatsApp that can be downloaded by the public.

Actually, after reacting to status updates, the reaction is sent in the chat as a simple emoji message, but maybe WhatsApp is planning to develop a proper user interface when receiving reactions to your status updates: we have to wait for a future update to discover news.In addition, note that even if the screenshot is taken from WhatsApp Desktop beta, we really suppose it may also be available in a new update of WhatsApp beta for Android and iOS in the future

WhatsApp is already one of the best iPhone apps for staying in touch with other people and it's no surprise to see features bleed over from other Meta-owned apps, including Instagram. There is no indication of when this feature will be made available to everyone or across all platforms, however.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.