The constant buzzing of the smartphone due to WhatsApp messages can be pretty annoying, and until now, the platform allowed users to mute an individual chat or groups for up to a year.
It appears that the Facebook-owned messaging platform is changing its rules, and users in India can now mute WhatsApp chats forever with an ‘always’ mute option. The new feature appears to be a server-side update that means users are getting the new mute option regardless of updating the app from the app stores. However, users are still advised to update the WhatsApp app via Google Play Store and Apple App store in case the feature is unavailable. The development was announced by WhatsApp on Twitter in a post published today.
The ‘always’ mute replaces the ‘1 year’ option that was originally part of the settings. The new WhatsApp feature still sits next to mute for ‘8 hours’ or ‘1 week’ options. To mute a chat forever, users will need to open a specific individual or group chat > tap on the menu option on the top right corner or the name in case of an iPhone > select Mute notifications.
WhatsApp Web users can also access the feature by tapping on the name of an opened chat or selecting the drop-down option next to the contact and then select mute notifications.
The arrival new feature is not entirely surprising as a report published earlier this month had indicated its future rollout. The always mute option had appeared on WhatsApp Beta for Android 2.20.201.10 version and the WhatsApp Beta for iPhone version 2.20.100.23. However, the WhatsApp Beta for Android 2.20.201.10 version had also added a Storage Usage UI option that provided information on stored files using the phone’s internal memory.
The option essentially allowed users to manage storage efficiently, and the feature is currently unavailable. Similarly, the Media Guidelines feature spotted earlier this months, appears to be in the developing stages. WhatsApp users with this feature can add stickers or text to an image while editing.