Highlights
- WhatsApp is testing a “Quick Recap” feature to summarise messages from up to five chats simultaneously, enhancing productivity and overview clarity.
- Ads are being tested in WhatsApp Status and Channel sections with “Sponsored” labels and options to block advertisers.
- Ad targeting uses minimal data and excludes personal messages, while a new “Activity Report” offers ad controls, tracking and monthly exports.
Caption – WhatsApp new features revealed by trusted Beta sources. (Photo by Dima Solomin on Unsplash)
WhatsApp continues to roll out features that improve conversation flow and user experience, while also exploring new ways to generate revenue. According to recent reports, two major features are currently in development. These are a Quick Recap feature for chats and in-app advertisements in the Status and Channels sections. Here’s everything we know about both features as of now.
WhatsApp Working on a New “Quick Recap” Feature
Caption – WhatsApp is testing a new feature to let users generate a summary of specific conversations. (Image credit – WABetaInfo)
WhatsApp has previously launched the stable version of “Message Summaries”, a feature that summarises unread messages in a single chat. Now, the platform is working on a more powerful addition called “Quick Recap”, which can summarise messages from multiple chats at once.
As reported by WABetaInfo, Quick Recap will allow users to select up to five conversations from the Chats tab, then tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and select “Quick Recap.”
📝 WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.21.12: what’s new?
WhatsApp is working on an optional feature powered by Private Processing to generate quick chat recaps, and it will be available in a future update!https://t.co/cRwwoYQURb pic.twitter.com/eVQ9L3Kw0X
— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) July 18, 2025
Like Message Summaries, this new feature relies on Meta’s Private Processing technology, which ensures that neither Meta nor WhatsApp or any third party can read the messages or their summaries.
Explaining Meta’s private processing, WABetaInfo report reads, “Private Processing ensures that the raw message content never leaves the secure enclave in a readable form, and it uses encryption and isolated computation to guarantee that neither WhatsApp nor Meta has access to either the original data or the generated recap. This extra step is crucial because it allows the app to provide sophisticated AI‑driven tools while preserving the confidentiality of private conversations and maintaining end‑to‑end encryption.”
Quick Recap will be optional and disabled by default. Moreover, it will not work with chats protected by “Advanced chat privacy.”
WABetaInfo spotted the feature in WhatsApp beta version 2.25.21.12 for Android, but it’s still under development and not available even if you’re using that version. It’s expected to roll out to beta users in future updates before a wider release.
WhatsApp Beta Also Testing Ads in Status and Channels
Caption – WhatsApp to introduce new ad formats in Status and Channels. (Image credit – WABetaInfo)
In a separate Android beta update version 2.25.21.11, WhatsApp has started testing in-app ads for the first time. As reported by WABetaInfo again, some beta users noticed a banner in the Updates tab introducing two new ad formats, Status Ads and Promoted Channels.
📝 WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.21.11: what’s new?
WhatsApp is rolling out Status Ads and Promoted Channels, bringing sponsored content directly into the Updates tab, and it’s available to some beta testers!https://t.co/Hf655pvofs pic.twitter.com/snAACmTLXX
— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) July 18, 2025
Here’s how the Ads will work –
Status Ads – These will appear among regular status updates from your contacts. They are short, vertical clips labelled “Sponsored” and behave like normal status posts. You can swipe past them quickly or block the advertiser to avoid seeing more ads from that brand.
Promoted Channels – Aimed at content creators, public figures, and brands, Promoted Channels will be displayed in the channel directory, making them easier for users to discover. These also include the “Sponsored” label to distinguish them from regular channels.
Privacy and User Control
WhatsApp emphasises that ads will not be shown in private spaces such as chats, group messages, calls, or communities, all of which remain end-to-end encrypted. Ads will appear only in the Updates tab, and no personal messages, calls, or shared status updates are used for ad targeting.
To help users manage their ad experience, WhatsApp is also introducing a new tool called the “Activity Report.” This feature allows users to see a list of ads viewed recently, block or unblock advertisers, download the report in a ZIP file and set the report to auto-generate monthly.
Ad targeting on WhatsApp will use minimal data, such as:
- General location (city or country)
- Language settings
- Channels followed
- User interaction with ads
The features are available only to a limited group of beta testers. WhatsApp plans to use feedback to refine the features before rolling them out more broadly.
FAQs
Q1. What is the new ‘Quick Recap’ feature on WhatsApp?
Answer. WhatsApp is testing a new feature to let users generate a summary of specific conversations. Quick Recap will allow users to select up to five conversations from the Chats tab, then tap the three-dot menu and select “Quick Recap.”
Q2. Where will WhatsApp start showing in-app ads and how will they appear?
Answer. Ads will appear among regular status updates and in the channel directory. Status Ads are vertical clips labelled “Sponsored,” while Promoted Channels help users discover public figures and brands more easily.
Q3. How does WhatsApp ensure privacy while displaying ads?
Answer. Ads will not be shown in private spaces such as chats, group messages, calls, or communities. Ad targeting will use minimal data like general location, language, followed channels, and user interaction with ads.
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