WhatsApp could soon make it easier to see which images people liked

Whatsapp Group Message on iPhone X (Image credit: Luke Filipowicz/iMore)

What you need to know

WhatsApp is testing a new way to highlight which images in an album have been liked.
A new thumbnail image will show which image was liked.
The only way to see which images within albums have been liked is to tap through to that album to see.

WhatsApp is reportedly testing a change that could make it easier for people to see what images others like when they are in an album.

While the feature isn't yet available, even to those on the current TestFlight beta, WABetaInfo reports that it is indeed one that is being developed within the instant messaging company. No timescales for when we can expect either a beta or final release have been shared, either.

The feature itself will display a thumbnail of the image that was liked by someone else, making it easier to see which images are proving popular even when they are part of an album.

Whatsapp Album Image Liking Screenshot (Image credit: Screenshot showing a preview of how image liking could work in albums)

This screenshot shows the difference between the current version and the one released in a future update. While we don't know which media received a reaction in an automatic album without opening it, WhatsApp will let us view detailed reaction info by showing a media thumbnail in the future.

WhatsApp is undoubtedly one of the best iPhone apps for people who need to stay in touch with others, especially if those people are using non-Apple devices like Android phones. Tweaks like this one might not make a huge change to how people use the app, but it's an example of a small quality of life change that could improve things in the aggregate.

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.