WhatsApp Scheduled Messages Feature Spotted in Android Beta: How It Works

Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

How to Schedule Messages on WhatsApp

Beta testers who receive the feature can reportedly schedule messages by pressing and holding the send button. WhatsApp then displays an option to select the date and time for delivery.

The scheduling window is said to range from 10 minutes to two weeks in advance. Once scheduled, messages are designed to be sent automatically at the selected time, even if WhatsApp is closed or the sender's phone is offline.

For photos and videos, the scheduling option is expected to appear in the gallery picker. Users can reportedly access it by pressing and holding the send button after selecting media. The current implementation appears to support only one media item at a time in certain workflows, particularly when captions or edits are involved.

WhatsApp May Add a Dedicated Scheduled Messages Section

WhatsApp is reportedly working on a dedicated Scheduled messages section within the chat information screen. This would allow users to view pending messages and delete them before delivery.

If a scheduled message is cancelled before it is sent, the recipient will not receive a notification about it.

The feature is also expected to support group chats, with a reported limitation: scheduled messages may only be visible to members who were part of the group when the message was scheduled. People joining later may not be able to view that content.

Why WhatsApp Message Scheduling Could Be Useful

Message scheduling could help users send birthday wishes, meeting reminders, payment alerts and work updates without having to remember the exact time. Businesses could also prepare customer communications in advance.

A native scheduling option could reduce reliance on third-party apps that require additional permissions or workarounds to automate WhatsApp messages.

When Will WhatsApp Scheduled Messages Roll Out?

WhatsApp has not announced an official release date for scheduled messages. The feature is currently being tested with select Android beta users through the Google Play beta programme.

If testing progresses successfully, WhatsApp could expand availability to more Android users before introducing the feature to stable builds and potentially iPhones. However, the rollout timeline remains unconfirmed, and the final implementation may change during testing.

For now, WhatsApp scheduled messages remain a beta feature rather than a publicly available tool.