WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that will give users more control over the number of unread messages in its Android app. This feature is currently under development, so beta testers who signed up through the Google Play beta program may not yet have access to it. The reported feature could be a boon for those who receive a large volume of text messages through the app and find it difficult to manage conversations.
According to a report by WhatsApp update tracker WABetaInfo, the instant messaging platform is testing a new feature that will reset the number of unread messages every time a user opens the app. Although the feature was seen in the WhatsApp beta version for Android 2.24.11.13, it is currently inactive, and beta users may not find it when they install the latest beta version. According to the report, this feature will be available (once WhatsApp makes it visible) via Notifications settings.
WhatsApp unread message count feature
Photo credit: WABetaInfo
Based on a screenshot shared by the publication, the new settings option has been added to the Notifications. Right now, below Light users can see two options — one allows them to enable notification previews and the other displays reaction notifications. The new option is shown in the screenshot between these two titled options Delete unread when the app opens. Its description says: “The number of unread messages will be deleted every time the application is opened.”
This could be a handy feature for those who are overwhelmed with a large volume of text messages. For example, I get between 15-20 new messages every day and sometimes it’s hard to go through them all. Some of them may not even require me to answer them. However, if I don’t open them, Chats the icon at the bottom will continue to show the number of conversations I have left unread. The same problem can be faced by those who have been added to several groups with a large number of messages.
While it’s less of an inconvenience to see a disorganized app with a bunch of unread messages, it’s good to see that the platform considers that this might spoil the experience for some users. The report points out that when a user turns on the setting option, every time they open the app, the unread count will reset to zero, eliminating the need to manually open each individual chat.
