WhatsApp for Android is reportedly testing a new feature that could allow users to mark all chats as read simultaneously using a shortcut, according to feature tracker WABetaInfo. This functionality was observed in a beta version of the app but may not be accessible to users just yet. It’s expected to function similarly to the ‘mark read’ feature available on iOS, which updates the status of messages from unread to read. This development builds upon other rumoured features in the pipeline, such as the ability to clear the unread message count.
The new ‘Mark All Read’ feature is being developed as a tool for improved chat management and was spotted in WhatsApp beta version 2.24.18.11 for Android. If rolled out, it would enable users to clear all unread messages at once by marking them as ‘read’. Currently, users have to go through multiple steps to achieve this, including selecting all messages and then choosing the ‘mark as read’ option. The new shortcut could streamline this process, providing quicker access to the feature.
However, WABetaInfo notes that this shortcut is still under development and may not yet be available to even beta testers who have enrolled through the Google Play Beta program. It might be introduced in a future update, but not all features tested in beta make it to the final public release.
