WhatsApp could soon make one of its most requested messaging features a reality. The Meta-owned messaging app is rolling out scheduled messages to select Android beta testers, allowing users to write messages ahead of time and have them sent automatically at a chosen date and time.
It’s a small addition on paper, but one that could make a real difference to how people use the app every day. After years of relying on workarounds or simply waiting until the right moment to hit send, WhatsApp users may finally get a native scheduling tool of their own.
The feature was spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.40.7, according to feature tracker WABetaInfo. It’s still in limited testing, so regular users may need to wait before they can try it.
Scheduling a message isn’t exactly a new idea. Telegram introduced scheduled messages back in 2019, giving users a straightforward way to prepare a message and choose when it should be delivered. More than half a decade later, WhatsApp is finally catching up with a similar built-in feature.
It’s easy to see why people have been asking for it. Sometimes you remember a birthday greeting in the middle of the night but don’t want to wake someone up. Other times, you want to send a work reminder first thing in the morning without having to remember to open the app. There are also messages for family gatherings, appointments, deadlines, and other occasions that are easier to prepare in advance.
Until now, WhatsApp users have had to rely on workarounds, third-party automation, or simply set a reminder to send the message manually. A native solution would make the whole process much simpler.
According to the current beta implementation, scheduling a message is designed to fit naturally into WhatsApp’s existing chat interface. Users can compose a message and then tap and hold the send button to open a scheduling option. From there, they can select the date and time they want the message delivered.
The feature reportedly supports text messages and links, as well as photos and videos. It works in both individual conversations and group chats, making it useful for personal communication and coordinating with several people at once.
The reported scheduling window starts at 10 minutes in the future and extends up to two weeks ahead. Once the scheduled time arrives, WhatsApp is designed to send the message automatically, even when the app is closed or the sender’s phone is offline.
Scheduling a message is only half the job. Plans change, details get updated, and sometimes you realize that a message doesn’t need to be sent after all. WhatsApp’s current implementation includes a dedicated Scheduled Messages section in the chat information screen. This lets users view their pending messages and delete them before delivery.
That means you can prepare a message today, check it again later, and cancel it if necessary without sending an awkward follow-up to explain why you changed your mind. For group chats, however, there’s a reported limitation: messages are intended for members who were already in the group when the message was scheduled. Someone who joins later may not receive that scheduled message.
For now, patience is still required. Scheduled messages are rolling out to some users of WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.40.7, with more beta testers expected to receive the feature over the coming weeks.
Installing the latest beta does not guarantee immediate access, since WhatsApp often enables new features gradually. The company has not announced a confirmed date for a wider public release, and availability on iPhone remains unconfirmed. It’s also worth remembering that beta features can change before reaching the stable version of an app.
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