The WhatsApp feature will reportedly process audio locally on the device before it is encrypted and transmitted.
The feature is still in beta and not available even to beta testers
Photo Credit: Unsplash/ Grant Davies
WhatsApp is said to be testing a new feature aimed at improving call quality on its platform. As per a feature tracker, the Meta-owned instant messaging app is developing a built-in noise cancellation system for voice and video calls. The feature was spotted in a recent WhatsApp beta for Android update and is expected to reduce background noise during calls, offering a clearer communication experience.
According to a report by WhatsApp feature tracker WABetaInfo, the noise cancellation capability was discovered in WhatsApp beta for Android app version 2.26.11.8. It is currently under development and is expected to be rolled out with a future version of the WhatsApp for Android app.
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo
As explained by the feature tracker, the noise cancellation feature is designed to automatically filter out unwanted background sounds such as traffic noise, wind, or surrounding chatter during voice and video calls. This is reported to improve clarity by isolating the user's voice in real time, ensuring conversations remain more focused even in noisy environments.
Noise cancellation on WhatsApp will reportedly be enabled by default for a call. Users will see an on-screen notification indicating that the feature is active. Despite being enabled automatically, the feature is expected to remain optional, allowing users to disable it from the in-call menu if required.
The report highlighted that the feature will process audio locally on the device before it is encrypted and transmitted. This potentially means WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption could remain unaffected, with the voice filtration process taking place at the microphone level rather than on external servers.
As the feature is still in development, there is no official timeline for its rollout. It is expected to be tested with select beta users before being released more widely in a future update. Beta features usually follow a phased rollout process and may not be available to all users right away.
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