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WhatsApp Developing Android Home-Screen Widget to Record Voice Messages

A tap-to-record shortcut that lets users choose recipients after recording remains under development with no public release timeline.

Overview

  • The widget was spotted in code from the WhatsApp Beta for Android 2.26.24.2 and identified by WABetaInfo but is not enabled for beta testers.
  • Users would be able to tap the home-screen widget to record a voice note, then select one or multiple recipients or share the audio as a status.
  • The widget is described as a default 3x1 tile that can be resized after placement to fit users' home screens.
  • WhatsApp is also building a separate status widget that shows recent status activity and is testing expanded group calling and screen-sharing features for WhatsApp Web.
  • If WhatsApp follows its usual rollout pattern, the feature will likely reach beta testers first before a wider release, and it is intended to make frequent voice-note workflows faster for users.