WhatsApp is testing a small but useful change that could make busy chats and groups easier to manage. The messaging platform is rolling out support for up to four pinned messages instead of the current limit of three. The feature is currently available to some Android beta testers, meaning most users may have to wait before they can use it.
WhatsApp Increases Pinned Messages from Three to Four
WhatsApp currently allows users to pin as many as three messages at the top of an individual or group conversation. These pinned messages can contain important information that users want to keep easily accessible. With the latest test, WhatsApp is adding a fourth slot.
The feature was spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.35.8, distributed through the Google Play Store. However, the rollout is gradual, so installing the beta does not necessarily mean every tester will immediately receive the feature. The change means users can keep one additional important message visible without having to unpin another message first.
How the Fourth Pinned Message Works
Pinning the fourth message works in much the same way as pinning the first three. Users can tap and hold a message, select the pin option from the message menu and choose how long they want it to remain pinned. Once pinned, the new message joins the existing pinned messages at the top of the conversation. Users with multiple pinned messages can tap the pinned-message bar to move through them. There is therefore no major learning curve. WhatsApp is simply expanding the existing feature by one additional slot.
Groups Could Benefit the Most
The extra pinned message may be more useful in busy group chats than in one-to-one conversations. For example, a school, work, community or event group could use the available slots for an important announcement, a meeting detail, a location, a schedule or another frequently needed piece of information, according to a report by WABetaInfo. Under the previous three-message limit, users sometimes had to decide which information was less important before adding something new. The fourth slot gives groups slightly more room to keep important information accessible.
Group administrators can still control who is allowed to pin messages through the group's existing permissions.
WhatsApp Is Also Improving Pinned-Message Notifications
The four-message test comes as WhatsApp continues to build on its pinned-message system. The platform has also been testing notifications that alert users when someone pins a message in a chat or group. The notification can display the pinned message, allowing users to understand what has been highlighted without immediately opening the conversation. However, muted chats do not generate these pinned-message notifications, following the same general notification behaviour as other messages. WhatsApp has also been exploring ways to extend pinned content beyond regular chats, including pinned updates in Channels.
Not Every Android User Can Use It Yet
Despite the headline around supported Android versions, the important point is that Android beta version 2.26.35.8 is the version specifically identified with the four-message test. The feature is not yet a standard WhatsApp feature available to all Android users. WhatsApp is distributing the functionality gradually to beta testers, so some users on the relevant version may still not see it. There is also no confirmed date for when four pinned messages will reach the stable version of WhatsApp. For now, users should continue to expect the existing three-message limit unless the new feature appears on their account.
