WhatsApp users’ lives are about to get better thanks to a new update that includes three brilliant new features.
The features include the ability to set reminders. In addition, users can now be notified if someone is trying to call them while they are on the phone to someone else, and choose who can invite them to unwanted group chats.
The app, used by more than 1.5 billion people every month, announced the changes in the past few weeks.
WhatsApp reminders
Users wanting to set up reminders will need to download a separate app called Any.do after WhatsApp announced a partnership with them.
Once the two apps are linked, users can create and receive reminders within the messaging platform.
Sending texts like “remind me to pick up food on my way home” will prompt a response confirming the reminder.
Once the time comes, Any.do will send the user a Whatsapp message to remind them.
Any.do said: “Introducing Any.do’s WhatsApp Reminders integration. A fast and easy way to create tasks & reminders straight from your ongoing conversations!
“Easily create tasks and get reminders in WhatsApp on any supported device. Create a task by sending a direct message to Any.do or forward a message to Any.do from any of your contacts.
“Be reminded as soon as tasks are due, straight through WhatsApp. It’s easy, simple and effective!”
To access the feature, users must download a premium account costing about £5 a month.
WhatsApp call waiting
If you use WhatsApp to make a ton of phone calls, you’ve probably been in the situation where you’re on the phone with someone and another contact tries to call you.
Previously, WhatsApp wouldn’t alert you if someone else was trying to reach you at the same time – instead, you’d have to wait until you got off the phone to see you’d missed a call.
That’s all changed. In a recent WhatsApp update for iPhone and Android call waiting has been added. That means if you’re on the phone with a contact and someone else tries to call you a notification will appear at the top of your device.
This will allow you to decline the second caller or end your current call and accept the newest one.
WhatsApp group chat invites
Thirdly, users will be able to decide who adds the to WhatsApp groups. The new update will give them the options of “everyone”, “my contacts” or “my contacts except” where they can choose individual contacts to block group chat invites from.
As the naming conventions suggest, choosing the “my contacts” option will prevent anyone immediately flinging you into a group chat and the “my contacts except…” toggle will let you choose individual contacts you don’t want having such power.
Anyone that’s not able to immediately add you to a group chat can send you an invite to a group chat. This can be accepted or denied free of any awkwardness.
Activating the new feature is simple. Head to WhatsApp’s settings menu then press Account > Privacy > Groups.
The feature can be turned on in WhatsApp’s settings.