WhatsApp is testing a feature to hide texts

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WhatsApp is testing a new formatting option that allows users to mark text messages as spoilers. Those who don't want to see the content of a message immediately will have to actively tap on it to reveal it. The feature is still under development but has already been discovered in the beta version of the app. We'll explain in detail below what exactly is behind it, how the feature is being implemented technically, and when it can be expected to be released.

Anyone who chats about TV series, movies, sporting events, or books in group chats knows the situation: someone writes something that others would rather not have read. Unwanted spoilers have long been a real issue for WhatsApp users – and until now, the messenger app didn't have a native solution for it.

Other platforms are already ahead in this regard. Discord, Telegram, and Reddit have offered their own spoiler tags for years, allowing users to hide content. WhatsApp hasn't closed this gap until now, but is apparently working on it. The new feature isn't a major technological leap, but it's a useful addition that should actually make a difference in everyday use.

What WABetaInfo discovered

The information about the new feature comes from WABetaInfo. Hints of an upcoming spoiler formatting option were found in the current TestFlight version of WhatsApp – the iOS beta.

WABetaInfo describes the feature as still under active development. It is therefore not yet available for beta testing, but is already so well documented in the app's code that concrete conclusions can be drawn about its functionality. The portal notes that the feature is also being tested in the Android beta version of WhatsApp.

This is how the new WhatsApp spoiler formatting works

Integration into the existing formatting system

The spoiler option will integrate seamlessly into WhatsApp's existing formatting tools. Anyone who has ever formatted text in the app as bold, italic, or strikethrough knows how the context menu works: highlight the text, open the popup, and select the formatting. The new spoiler option will appear exactly there – right next to the familiar "Bold," "Italic," and "Strikethrough" options.

The grey bar serves as a privacy screen

When a message or text passage is formatted as a spoiler, the content is not visible to the recipient. Instead, the text is covered by a gray bar. The content remains hidden until the recipient actively taps on this bar. Only then does the text underneath become visible. The decision, therefore, rests entirely with the recipient.

Double vertical lines as a keyboard shortcut

If you don't want to open the formatting popup every time, you can also activate spoiler formatting directly via the keyboard. The syntax for this is: ||Text|| – that is, double vertical lines before and after the content you want to hide.

This system is familiar from other platforms. On Discord, the spoiler tag works in exactly the same way. For WhatsApp, the syntax integrates into the existing Markdown logic – asterisks for bold (*Text*), underscores for italics (_Text_), and now double pipes for spoilers. Users familiar with this syntax can insert spoilers directly while typing, without interrupting their flow.

What is still unclear

Compatibility with other message types

Currently, the spoiler feature is only intended for text messages. WABetaInfo explicitly states that "there is no information on whether it will also be compatible with other message types such as images." Whether photos, videos, or voice messages will eventually be able to be marked as spoilers remains unclear.

Release date

As with all features discovered through beta references, no reliable release date can be given. The path from an internal code reference to public release can take weeks or even several months at WhatsApp. There has been no official announcement from either Meta or WhatsApp.

Android and iOS tested simultaneously

The fact that the feature appears simultaneously in the iOS TestFlight beta and the Android beta is a significant signal. WhatsApp often rolls out new features on one platform first, before the other follows. If both platforms are being tested at the same time, it suggests that a joint, timely release might be planned. Of course, this isn't a guarantee – but it's a good sign for everyone waiting for the feature.

Not a milestone, but a sensible step

WhatsApp's spoiler feature isn't revolutionary, but it's a long overdue addition. With its gray overlay bar and simple syntax, the messenger gains a tool that's already standard on other platforms. The fact that development is progressing simultaneously on both mobile platforms gives hope for a swift release. Until then, it remains the case that anyone wanting to discuss the series finale in WhatsApp groups will have to be patient. (Image: Shutterstock / Diego Thomazini)