Highlights
- WhatsApp is testing a new anti-spoiler text feature for Android and iOS beta users, allowing messages to be hidden until tapped.
- The feature adds a spoiler formatting option alongside Bold, Italic, and Strikethrough, covering text with a grey overlay until revealed.
- The rollout timeline is currently unconfirmed, but testing across both platforms is underway.
(Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash)
WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new anti-spoiler feature that will allow users to hide the content of text messages. The upcoming functionality is expected to introduce a dedicated formatting tool that lets users mark specific messages as spoilers, ensuring they are not automatically visible in chats.
The discovery was made after the release of the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.6.10.71 update, which is available via the TestFlight app. According to findings shared by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is actively working on enabling spoiler formatting for text messages.
As per the report, the spoiler option will appear alongside existing formatting tools such as Bold, Italic, and Strikethrough. Once applied, the selected text will be covered with a grey overlay, requiring recipients to tap on it to reveal the hidden content.
WhatsApp’s anti-spoiler feature for text messages. (Image credit – WABetaInfo)
From a syntax perspective, the Spoiler formatting option will automatically add two pipes to the selected text. Users will also be able to manually type ||double pipes before and after|| the message or words they wish to conceal, eliminating the need to open the formatting menu every time.
Additionally, WABetaInfo notes that while the feature is currently being developed for text messages, there is “no information on whether it will be made compatible with other message types, such as images”.
Earlier reports had suggested that WhatsApp was developing a spoiler-tagging option. This could be particularly useful for sharing sensitive information or avoiding accidental spoilers related to movies, shows, or important updates.
As is typically the case with features spotted in beta versions of WhatsApp, there is no confirmed timeline for the official rollout. However, since the spoiler feature is also being tested in WhatsApp’s Android beta, its public release may not be too far away.
At the same time, WhatsApp is also preparing to roll out the same functionality on iOS to ensure a consistent user experience across both platforms.
FAQs
Q1. What is WhatsApp’s new anti-spoiler feature?
Answer. It’s a formatting tool that lets users hide the content of specific text messages with a grey overlay, requiring recipients to tap to reveal the hidden content.
Q2. How can users apply spoiler formatting to their messages?
Answer. The option will appear alongside Bold, Italic, and Strikethrough. Users can either select it from the formatting menu or manually type ||double pipes|| around the text they want to conceal.
Q3. When will the anti-spoiler feature be officially released?
Answer. There’s no confirmed timeline yet, but since it’s being tested in both Android and iOS betas, a public rollout may be coming soon.