WhatsApp is currently developing new text formatting features, including code blocks, quotes, and lists.
WhatsApp Prepares Advanced Text Formatting Tools in Latest Beta Update
This upcoming feature was discovered in a recent update for WhatsApp Desktop beta.
While these new formatting options are in development, they are expected to be available on Android and iOS in the future.
WhatsApp has been somewhat slow in introducing new features, and an experimental feature may highlight how the app is still trying to catch up with its competitors. A recent update to WhatsApp Desktop beta reveals evidence of more advanced text formatting choices.
As per reports from WABetaInfo, which tracks WhatsApp developments, the service owned by Meta is working on introducing support for syntax formatting such as code blocks, text quotes, and bulleted lists. These additional formatting options will complement WhatsApp’s existing range of formatting tools, which include bold, italics, strikethrough, and monospace.
WhatsApp Beta Update Reveals Advanced Text Formatting Features in Development
On Android and iOS, these text formatting options can be accessed with a prolonged press, while on desktop, you need to use particular special characters for syntax-based formatting. For example, to quote a message partially, you can prefix the text with “>” to add context, rather than quoting the entire message. Similarly, encasing text within apostrophes at the start and end creates a code block, changing the text’s color within a designated box. To make bulleted lists, you can use “-” before the text to create the list items.
It’s unclear whether WhatsApp will incorporate these formatting options into the floating text toolbar, which houses all the basic formatting tools on mobile devices. Nonetheless, there is a high probability that these formatting features will be introduced to WhatsApp on Android and iOS in future updates.
WhatsApp still lacks some useful formatting options available in leading messaging apps. For instance, features like numbered lists or spoiler tags are not on the horizon for WhatsApp. Other platforms like Telegram introduced spoiler tags earlier this year, and even apps like Discord have integrated them.
WhatsApp might be a bit behind its competitors in terms of features, but it’s reassuring to see the platform continually releasing new capabilities, even if they are playing catch-up with other messaging apps.
