WhatsApp is reportedly preparing to introduce a highly anticipated feature that users have been requesting for years: the ability to schedule messages to be sent at a specific date and time.
The new feature is currently being tested and is available to a limited number of beta users of the app on Android devices. It is expected to become available to all users in the near future.
Messages Could Be Sent Even Without an Internet Connection
The new feature will allow users to choose the exact time they want a message to be delivered. The process is expected to be straightforward: users will simply write their message and press and hold the send button, opening an interface for scheduling it.
Messages can reportedly be scheduled from as little as 10 minutes to as far as two weeks in advance.
One of the most notable features is that messages will be sent even if the sender’s phone is switched off or has no internet connection at the scheduled time.
The feature is expected to support text messages, links, photos, and videos, although initially only one multimedia file will be allowed per message. Scheduled messages are also reportedly set to be protected by the same standard encryption system used for other conversations on the platform.
Users Will Be Able to Edit or Delete Scheduled Messages
WhatsApp is expected to allow users to manage scheduled messages through a dedicated section within the chat information screen.
There, users will be able to view, edit, or delete messages before they are sent. Recipients will not be notified that a message was scheduled in advance, nor will they receive a notification if the sender deletes it before the scheduled delivery time.
A Special Rule for Group Chats
Message scheduling is expected to work in both individual conversations and WhatsApp group chats. However, a specific rule will apply to groups.
Only people who were members of a group when a message was scheduled will reportedly receive it.
This means that anyone who joins the group after the message has been scheduled will not be able to see it in the conversation, even if they become a member before the scheduled delivery time.
Testing is currently taking place through the Google Play Store beta program for Android users. Although development is currently focused on Android, earlier reports indicate that the feature has been in development for several months and may eventually be introduced on Apple devices as well.
Meta Aims to Compete With Other Messaging Platforms
The introduction of this feature comes in response to requests from users around the world. Scheduled messaging could be useful in various situations, including sending birthday wishes precisely at midnight or coordinating professional communications with colleagues in different time zones.
Other platforms, particularly Telegram, have offered this capability for approximately seven years. The lack of scheduled messaging has frequently been cited as one of WhatsApp’s limitations.
With this addition, Meta aims to improve the user experience and strengthen its position in the messaging app market.
The feature is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to improve the platform, which also include high-resolution photo sharing and artificial intelligence integration. At the same time, the company has introduced measures to limit mass message forwarding in an effort to combat the spread of misinformation and unwanted messages.
