A much-talked-about feature from WhatsApp! You will no longer need to do this
WhatsApp is testing a feature in its Android beta version that allows users to see small previews of photos, videos, and stickers without opening the chat.
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WhatsApp has begun testing a new feature in its Android app that will make the chat list more informative. With the new system, when the last message in a conversation is a photo, video, or sticker, users will be able to see a small preview image without opening the chat.
According to WABetaInfo, the feature has been gradually rolled out to some beta users with the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.32.11 update released via the Google Play Store. The feature may not yet be visible to all beta users.
In the current version, when the last message in a chat is media content, the list usually only displays labels indicating the content type, such as “Photo,” “Video,” or “Sticker.” For this reason, it may be necessary to open the conversation to distinguish between different chats containing similar media messages.
In the new structure being tested, these labels are not completely removed; a small visual preview is placed next to the text indicating the media type. This allows the user to see both the type of content of the last message and a visual hint about the content in the chat list.
PREVIEW FOR PHOTOS, VIDEOS, AND STICKERS
The feature allows a small thumbnail of the photo to be added to the list if the last message is a photo. The same system will apply to videos; in chats where a video is the last message, users will be able to see a small frame from the video content in the list.
Stickers are also included in the new preview system. When the last message from a person or group is a sticker, the user will be able to see not only the “Sticker” label but also a small image of the sent sticker.
This change could help users, especially those who receive multiple media messages in a short time, find the conversation they are looking for more quickly. Among the information-focused updates WhatsApp has recently added to the chat list was the display of unsent messages with a “Draft” label.
Media previews are currently only being tested with selected Android beta users. An official timeline for when WhatsApp will release this feature to the stable version and all users has not yet been shared.