Full Breakdown
WhatsApp Starts iOS Beta Test of Scheduled Messages
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Development: Scheduled Messaging Rolls Out to iPhone Testers
WhatsApp has begun offering its long-awaited scheduled-message capability to a limited group of iPhone beta participants. The rollout follows a similar test that debuted on Android a few weeks earlier. Testers can compose a message, press and hold the send button, and select a delivery date and time via a picker. The feature supports single-item text, photo, video, or link messages and allows scheduling from 10 minutes up to two weeks ahead. Once set, a confirmation appears only for the scheduler, and the message is listed in a dedicated “Scheduled” section within the chat or group info screen.
Background: A Missing Feature on a Massive Platform
Meta’s WhatsApp, used by more than a third of the global population, has lacked native scheduling despite competitors offering it for years. Earlier in the year, the community-driven site WABetaInfo identified code references suggesting work on such a feature, though it was not yet testable. The recent iOS beta marks the first public exposure of the function on Apple devices.
Feature Mechanics and Limitations
In group chats, scheduled messages are delivered solely to members who were already part of the group when the message was set; newcomers do not receive the pending message even if they join before the scheduled time. Media scheduling is restricted to one photo or video per entry, requiring separate scheduling for multiple items. As with most beta features, activation is limited to the selected testers and cannot be manually enabled.
Official Context and User Base
Meta’s chief executive Mark Zuckerberg indicated in April of the previous year that WhatsApp serves over 3 billion monthly active users worldwide. This scale underscores the significance of adding a feature that many users have requested for years.
Anticipated Impact
If the iOS test proceeds smoothly, the scheduled-message tool could close a functional gap between WhatsApp and rival messaging apps, offering users greater control over communication timing. However, the current constraints—single-media scheduling and group-member eligibility rules—suggest that further refinements may be needed before a broader public release.