If you’re one of the existing 1.2-billion people who already use WhatsApp, you might be partial to using the bold, strikethrough or italics formatting options to add a subtle nuance to your conversations.
However, it’s not the most straightforward trick of the thumb; you have to do *this* to write in bold, _this_ to write text in italics, and ~this~ to add a strikethrough.
But if WhatsApp current feature-in-testing becomes a reality, it won’t be long until there’s a much easier way to make your messages pop.
The Facebook-owned messaging app is testing a new feature that will give you instant access to its trio of formatting options.
Screenshots of a beta-version of the app have emerged showing a pop-up menu appearing above highlighted text, meaning you only have to tap once to choose how to format it.
The feature is being trialed in the 2.17.148 update test, and is currently only available for Android, but it’s probably inevitable that it’ll reach iPhones in the near future, too.
It seems only apt that Android users get first dibs, though. Only recently, WhatsApp treated iOS users to some exciting new features that Android is still waiting on.
The first new iOS feature displays multiple pictures within a conversation in a grid format, rather than one on top of the other. There’s also now a bunch of filters for photos, GIFs and videos.
Related: Best Android apps
What do you think of the feature? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
