WhatsApp Update: 'Archive Chat' Will Become 'Read Later' Feature Very Soon

WhatsApp has introduced a sling of new features lately and still seems to have several more in its pipeline.

The popular chat app has been working on upgrading its archive chat feature and it looks like the development will make its way through the app updates soon.

(Screenshot: WABetaInfo)

A new report indicates that WhatsApp will replace archive chats option to ¡°Read Later¡± going forward. The feature has been in development since long and was previously thought to have a title of ¡°vacation mode.¡±

The report comes from WABetaInfo, which cites a new beta update for Android that carries the feature. The upcoming WhatsApp feature reportedly works on chats which are archived and hides them forever from the chat screen. In contrast, current version of WhatsApp displays archived chats on the chat screen whenever a new message is received on them.

The Read Later mode will change this, hiding the archived chats forever from the main chat screen, unless unarchived. That means such chats will remain hidden even when there is a new text message received on them. The update essentially makes the temporary nature of archived chats permanent.

These archived chats will then instead be saved under a ¡°Read Later¡± category. A screenshot of the feature shared in the report reads, ¡°To reduce interruptions, chats with new messages stay here and you won¡¯t get any notifications.¡±

(Screenshot: WABetaInfo)

The new update has been submitted by WhatsApp through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.21.2.2. Screenshots show that it is ready for rollout and might soon be seen in the upcoming versions of WhatsApp.

The report also states that users who don¡¯t like Read Later after its availability can ¡°downgrade¡± to the old functionality. Users will be able to do so from within WhatsApp Chat Settings.