WhatsApp Tests Message Scheduling Feature: How to Use It
Jakarta (ANTARA) – WhatsApp has begun testing a message-scheduling feature that allows users to set messages to be sent automatically at a chosen time. It could help users send birthday wishes, work reminders or important messages without having to open the app at the time they are due to be sent.
According to a WABetaInfo report on 12 October 2026, the feature, called scheduled messages, has started becoming available to some WhatsApp beta users on Android through version 2.26.40.7. This is the latest development after a similar feature was previously found to be under development for iOS devices.
The feature lets users write a message in advance, then choose the date and time for it to be sent. WhatsApp will send it automatically according to the selected schedule, including when the app is closed or the device is not connected to the internet at the scheduled time.
However, message scheduling is not yet available to all WhatsApp users. Development is continuing in stages, so users who do not yet have it will need to wait for a future update.
For users who have access to the feature, messages can be scheduled directly from a chat. There is no need to install an additional app to use this built-in feature.
Here are the steps for scheduling a WhatsApp message, based on the feature currently being tested:
Open WhatsApp and select the individual or group chat you want to message.
Type the message you want to send at a particular time.
Press and hold the send button rather than tapping it as you would to send a regular message.
When the scheduling menu appears, choose the date and time you want the message sent.
Check the selected schedule, then confirm it.
Users can schedule a message for as soon as 10 minutes from the current time, or up to two weeks in advance. This range lets users prepare messages for a few hours later or plan greetings and reminders for the coming days.
Bear in mind that these steps apply only to users who have been given access to the scheduling feature. If pressing and holding the send button does not display date and time options, the feature may not yet be available on your account.
In the latest testing phase, the feature supports more than text messages. Users can also schedule links, photos and videos.
For a photo or video, users can select the media from the chat gallery, then press and hold the send button to choose when it should be sent. However, each scheduled message supports only one photo or video, so multiple media items cannot be scheduled together in a single message.
The feature also supports group chats. There is, however, a specific condition to note: scheduled messages will be received only by members who were already in the group when the message was scheduled. Anyone who joins later will not receive that scheduled message.
WhatsApp also provides a dedicated section in the chat information page for viewing and managing messages that are waiting to be sent. From there, users can check scheduled messages and delete them before they are sent.
When will the feature be available to everyone?
As of 14 October 2026, WhatsApp has not announced an official launch date for the message-scheduling feature for all users. WABetaInfo reports that it is being rolled out to some Android beta testers and will reach more users gradually.
Users therefore need not be surprised if the feature does not appear even after they have updated the app. Availability depends on WhatsApp’s rollout process, not solely on the version of the app installed.
The feature could make everyday communication more convenient. Users can prepare messages in advance, reduce the risk of forgetting to send reminders and organise their communications without having to wait for a particular time to press send.