WhatsApp is testing an original media quality option without compression and personal profile cover photos in Android beta. Users can also create separate chats with Meta AI, while an improved channel migration tool is rolling out to select beta testers. Official release dates for all users remain unannounced.
WhatsApp is testing an original media quality option that lets users skip compression. The feature remains under active development and was spotted in the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.44.6 update on the Google Play Store. It is currently rolling out to some beta testers ahead of a wider public release in a future Android update. WhatsApp has not announced when the feature will be available to all users.
In addition to media quality testing, WhatsApp users can now create separate chats with Meta AI. WhatsApp is rolling out these features gradually for Android and iOS users, meaning some users may have to wait a few weeks to receive them.
WhatsApp is also introducing cover photos for personal profiles, a feature previously available only for WhatsApp Business accounts. Users can add a large landscape photo at the top of their profile. The cover photo will also appear in the app settings and on the chat info screen when someone opens a conversation. Adding a cover photo will not replace the existing profile picture.
To add a cover photo, users open their WhatsApp profile and tap the Edit button. The app presents three options: take a new photo, select an image from the phone gallery, or create an image using Meta AI. WhatsApp automatically adjusts the chosen image to fit the cover photo space.
Users can control who sees their cover photos through four privacy settings: Everyone, My Contacts, My Contacts Except, and Nobody. Users can also hide the photo from everyone without deleting it. The cover photo feature was spotted in the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.43.11 update on the Google Play Store. WhatsApp has not announced when the feature will reach all users, though more testers are expected to receive it in the coming weeks.
WhatsApp is also developing an improved channel migration tool for Android. While the tool is not yet available to all users and lacks an official release date, it is expected in a future update. WhatsApp has begun gradually rolling out the feature to select Android beta testers through version 2.26.42.12 on the Google Play Store.
Because WhatsApp is rolling out these features gradually across Android and iOS, not all beta users will see them immediately. Keeping the app updated helps users access the latest features as they become available.
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Cristian Penisoara is a Guides Writer and Android specialist at Droid Tools. An Android user since version 2 and a professional event photographer, he combines technical curiosity with a detail-oriented approach - every guide he publishes is tested step-by-step on a real device before it goes live.
WhatsApp is working on phone number privacy, personal profile cover photos, an original media quality option, and an Android channel migration tool.
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