WhatsApp tests message scheduling with some Android beta users
Representative image: Pexels / Pixabay
WhatsApp began testing scheduled messages with some Android beta users, reported on 12 October 2026, letting texts and media be set up to two weeks ahead.
What Happened
WhatsApp has started testing a feature that lets users schedule a message to be sent later, with access opened to some Android beta testers, according to the feature tracker WABetaInfo, which reported the test on Monday, 12 October 2026, and technology outlets that followed it up on 12 and 13 October. Testers can write a message, press and hold the send button, and pick a date and time for delivery, from about ten minutes ahead to two weeks later. The feature is not yet available to the general public, and WhatsApp's owner Meta had not made any announcement about it as of Tuesday, 13 October 2026.
Key Facts
- The feature is being tested with a limited group of Android beta users; wider access is expected over the coming weeks, according to WABetaInfo.
- Messages are scheduled by pressing and holding the send button, which opens a panel to choose the date and time.
- The scheduling window runs from roughly ten minutes ahead up to two weeks.
- Reports say text, links, photos and videos can be scheduled, and that scheduled messages keep WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption.
- Testers can see and delete queued messages before they go out; the recipient is not told if a scheduled message is cancelled.
- Reports say scheduled messages are delivered even if the sender's phone is offline or the app is closed at the chosen time.
- No release date has been given, and WhatsApp has not commented publicly.
Why It Matters
Message scheduling is a basic tool in email and in several rival chat apps, and users have asked WhatsApp for it for years. Until now, people who wanted to send a birthday wish at midnight, a reminder before a class or a note to a colleague in another time zone either had to stay awake, set an alarm, or use third-party apps. Those apps often ask for wide permissions on the phone, which is a privacy risk. A built-in option removes that need.
For young users the feature has some practical uses. Students can line up reminders for group projects or study groups. Creators and small sellers who use WhatsApp to talk to customers can plan announcements without being online at the exact time. People who want to keep healthy boundaries with their phones can write messages when it suits them and let them go out later, rather than replying late at night.
There are also a few things worth keeping in mind. Because the feature is still in testing, details may change before a wider release, and some reports differ on exactly what kinds of content can be scheduled. A scheduled message is still a message: it is worth checking it before the set time, since cancelling it is possible but forgetting about it is easy. And as with any beta, those who join beta programmes should expect occasional bugs.
| What testers can do | As reported |
|---|---|
| Schedule from | About 10 minutes ahead |
| Schedule up to | Two weeks ahead |
| Content | Text, links, photos and videos |
| Edit queue | View and delete before sending |
| Encryption | End-to-end, as with normal messages |
Impact
Short-term: Only a small number of Android beta testers can use the feature for now; most users will see no change until WhatsApp widens the test or releases it.
Long-term: If released broadly, scheduling could change how students, small businesses and creators plan messages on WhatsApp, and reduce reliance on third-party scheduling apps.
Who is affected: WhatsApp users on Android in the beta programme first, and later, if it is released, students, workers in different time zones, small sellers and creators who use WhatsApp for planning and outreach.
Key Takeaway
WhatsApp is testing built-in message scheduling with some Android beta users, letting them set texts and media to send up to two weeks ahead, but there is no official release date yet.
Questions and Answers
Can I schedule WhatsApp messages now?
Only if you are among the Android beta testers who have received the test. For most users the feature is not available yet, and WhatsApp has not announced a release date.
How does WhatsApp message scheduling work?
In the test version, you write a message, press and hold the send button, and choose a date and time. The message can be set from about ten minutes to two weeks ahead.
Can a scheduled message be cancelled?
Yes. Testers can view their queued messages and delete one before it is sent, and the recipient is not told that a message was ever scheduled.
Are scheduled messages private?
Reports say scheduled messages keep the same end-to-end encryption as ordinary WhatsApp messages.
Disclaimer: Prepared by the Peepals newsroom from publicly available sources with AI assistance. Information is accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. Images may be representative. Not professional advice. Report an error via our contact page.
Sourced and fact-checked by the Peepals Global Editorial Team
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