The latest beta version of WhatsApp for Android (2.24.23.11) includes a new shortcut in the chat bar that opens your gallery instantly, which makes sharing media like pictures and videos faster. This feature is still in testing, so it's not available to the public just yet.
Right now, if you want to share something from your gallery on WhatsApp, you need to click on the camera icon or the attachment button, which presents you with a whole menu of different options. You get Gallery, Camera, Location, Contact, Document, Audio, Poll, and even the new AI-powered Imagine is in the mix.
Although that's good that you have different options, it's not a quick thing if you just want to send a photo or video. Now, WhatsApp has been discovered by the folks at WABetaInfo to be working on simpler access to your Gallery. A shortcut right in the chat bar would take you instantly to your Gallery so you can pick the photo you want to send.
On top of that, this dedicated gallery shortcut would make it possible to send a quick video message by pressing and holding the button.
The Gallery button in the chat bar. | Image Credit - WABetaInfo
In fact, the camera shortcut has been swapped for the gallery shortcut, which may not sit right with everyone. However, if you don't often use the camera directly from WhatsApp, that change wouldn't bother you. After this update becomes official, you'll have to click the paperclip icon and then pick the Camera option from there.
Right now, this change is running as a limited test for a handful of WhatsApp beta users on Android phones. These beta features are likely to be released as public features in the beginning, but they're also based on feedback, so we'll have to wait and see if this feature makes it or not.
I personally prefer the new feature over what's currently there. For me, it's rare to want to take a photo straight from WhatsApp to send to someone: I prefer to pick from my Gallery and I usually do just that.
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Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities. Outside her professional life, Izzy, a literature master's degree holder, enjoys reading, painting, and learning languages. She's also a personal growth advocate, believing in the power of experience and gratitude. Whether it's walking her Chihuahua or singing her heart out, Izzy embraces life with passion and curiosity.
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