WhatsApp has begun testing a useful new calendar search feature that makes finding old chats much easier. The capability, currently in beta testing, provides a date picker tool to quickly jump to conversations from past days, weeks and months.
In Short:
- WhatsApp now testing calendar search in beta versions
- Lets users easily jump to chats from past dates
- Avoids painfully scrolling through entire history
- Initially in WhatsApp Web and Android betas
- iOS beta also got feature earlier this year
- Expected to launch widely in standard app soon
- Overall makes finding old messages much simpler
Chatting with Friends on WhatsApp
WhatsApp is a very popular messaging app that lots of people use to chat. People send hundreds or even thousands of texts back and forth to friends, family members, coworkers and more using WhatsApp everyday.
The Problem of Finding Old Messages
While WhatsApp has a search tool to look back through old chats, you need to know the exact words or details to find a specific message. If you don’t remember those keywords, the only choice has been to slowly scroll up through all the messages which takes very long.
New Calendar Search Being Tested
Last month, the WhatsApp developers started testing out a calendar search option on WhatsApp Web Beta. This gives a small calendar icon in the chat search box. When clicked, it opens a full calendar view to easily jump to past dates and find old messages.
Calendar Search Now on Android App
Thanks to a WhatsApp user tip, we learned this handy calendar search is now also on the beta version of the WhatsApp Android app.
How to Use It:
- Open any chat window in WhatsApp Android Beta
- Tap the search bar at the top
- You’ll see a tiny calendar icon next to search box
- Click calendar icon to open full calendar view
- Scroll and pick a past date to jump to messages from that day
This feature will make finding old chats much easier. No more endless scrolling when you can select the exact date! We think the calendar search will come to the regular WhatsApp app for everyone soon.
What WhatsApp Version Has This Feature?
I found the new calendar search feature on WhatsApp Android beta version 2.23.26.16. This was the latest beta release until version 2.23.26.17 came out a few hours ago.
Is This Calendar Search Useful?
Yes, adding a calendar view is very helpful! It makes finding old messages much less painful. No more scrolling endlessly through your long chat history.
Where Does The Calendar Icon Appear?
If your WhatsApp has it, you should see the calendar icon when you:
- Tap the Search button in the 3-dot menu
- Go to a user or group profile, then tap Search
How Does The Calendar Search Work?
It works just like you’d think. But it doesn’t fully match Android’s usual date picker style.
- You can’t switch months without manually swiping left/right
- But you can tap to change the year quickly
So it takes a bit getting used to. But being able to jump straight to chats from a past date makes it worthwhile!
Overall this is a very nice addition that will save everyone time and effort when searching old WhatsApp messages. Hopefully it reaches the standard app soon.
This New Feature Will Be Very Helpful
Being able to search for WhatsApp chats by date will be extremely useful. So we expect this capability to expand and become available on more devices soon.
What’s Next for WhatsApp Features
WhatsApp has been working on some other exciting new features based on recent beta versions. So the next few months could bring more interesting updates.
iOS Version Has Been in Progress for Awhile
It’s worth noting WhatsApp started developing an iOS calendar search way back in June 2020. The first iPhone beta arrived earlier in 2022. So Android support was expected eventually.
Surprising Arrival on Web Before Android
It is a bit surprising though that the WhatsApp Web beta added calendar search before Android. Usually Android gets new features first.
Current Chat Search Options
The regular Chat tab in WhatsApp already lets you search messages. But without the calendar choice. Current filters include:
- Read/unread
- Media types (photos, videos, GIFs)
- Links, audio, documents
- Polls
So the calendar view takes chat search to the next level for finding old conversations by specific dates. We hope you find this new capability as handy as we expect!
Conclusion
WhatsApp’s new calendar search addition aims to alleviate the common frustration of endlessly scrolling to locate old messages. Early feedback indicates it works very intuitively. As the feature rolls out beyond beta over the coming months, it should save significant time and effort for the app’s billions of users worldwide.