WhatsApp Working on New Feature Users Clear Unread Message Count

WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that will give users more control to manage their unread messages in its Android app. The feature is currently under development. So beta testers who have registered through the Google Play Beta program may not have access to it yet. The reported feature could prove to be useful for those who receive a large number of text messages on the app and find it difficult to manage chats.

A WhatsApp update tracker from WABetaInfo Report According to WhatsApp, the instant messaging platform is testing a new feature that will reset the number of unread messages every time users open the app. Although the feature was spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.11.13, it is currently not active and beta testers may not find it when installing new beta builds. According to the report, the feature will be available through notification settings.

Based on the screenshot shared by the publication, a new settings option has been added to the notifications. Currently, under the Light option, users can see two options, one lets them turn on the preview of notifications and the other shows notifications for response. In the screenshot, a new option is seen between these two options, titled Clear Unread When App Open. Its description says that “Your number of unread messages will be cleared every time you open the app.”

This can prove to be a great feature for those who receive a large amount of text messages. For example, someone is getting 15-20 new messages every day and sometimes it is difficult to read all of them. Some of them may not even need to be replied to. However, if one does not open them, the chat icon at the bottom will keep showing the number of chats that have been left unread. The same problem can also be faced by those who are connected to many groups with a large number of messages.

While it can be annoying to see an app with so many unread messages, it’s okay to do that. WhatsApp believes that this may lead to a bad experience for some users. The report highlights that when users toggle on the setting option, the unread count will reset to zero every time they open the app, eliminating the need to open each chat separately.