WhatsApp’s new Desktop beta app gets new privacy settings

WhatsApp recently announced a new beta program for its Desktop-based app. And ever since, the Meta-owned messaging app has been trying to introduce new features to the platform. And now, reports have detailed what WhatsApp has in store for its desktop-based app.

People who have used WhatsApp's Desktop-based beta app would know that the app didn’t have privacy settings. This means that users of WhatsApp’s Desktop beta app couldn’t control the settings of the app from the Desktop app and they had to turn to their smartphones -- even in the multi-device mode -- to make changes to the messaging app’s interface. Now, WABetaInfo reports that WhatsApp, with its latest beta update to its messaging app, is rolling out privacy settings to its Desktop-based beta app.

The blog site says that WhatsApp Desktop beta 2.2146.5 update brings privacy settings to WhatsApp beta for Desktop app.

As per the screenshot shared by the blog site, users can control privacy settings pertaining to Last Seen, Profile Photo, and About sections of the app. In addition to that, WhatsApp users can also control Read Receipts using the click of a button, manage blocked contacts and access group settings once they have downloaded the latest beta version of the app on their smartphones. In the same screenshot, WhatsApp also reminds its users that calls made and messages sent from WhatsApp for Desktop app are covered by the company’s end-to-end encryption technique and that users can use WhatsApp on up to four devices at the same time by using WhatsApp’s new Desktop-based beta app.

Notably, these new privacy settings are available to select beta users only. “If those privacy settings are not available for your WhatsApp account, it means they will be rolled out for your account at a later date,” the blog site reported.

Separately, WhatsApp has also released the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.21.22.7 update. This update brings Reaction Notifications settings to WhatsApp’s Android-based beta app. The messaging app is already working on a similar feature for its iOS-based app. With this update, Android users will be able to control if they want to see the reactions for messages that they send to other WhatsApp users. This setting will work in tandem with a different feature called Message Reactions, wherein users will be able to send emoji reactions to a message just as they do in case of the messages shared on Instagram or Facebook Messenger.