WhatsApp for Android, iOS May Soon Let You Copy Specific Parts of a Message

WhatsApp is said to be working on a new functionality for its Android and iOS app that aims to make it easier to copy specific parts of a message in a chat window. As per a feature tracker, users may be able to highlight and extract specific words or sentences within a message. Spotted within a beta version of WhatsApp for iOS and Android, the feature is speculated to eliminate the need of copying the entire text and then deleting the unnecessary parts.

Copying Specific Parts of a Message on WhatsApp

According to WhatsApp feature tracker WABetaInfo, Meta Platforms' instant messaging client is developing the feature for release on a future version of the app. It was reportedly discovered in WhatsApp Beta for iOS app version 25.16.81 and WhatsApp Beta for Android app version 2.25.18.3. Once live, it may allow users to extract a specific portion of the message instead of the entire text.

Photo Credit: WABetaInfo

The feature tracker suggests it will enable them to drag their finger across the message to highlight an individual phrase or a sentence. Accompanying images reveal the text highlight window will appear once a portion of the message is selected, offering options such as copy and share.

This partial selection will be allowed within the chat interface, improving upon the existing functionality, as per WABetaInfo. As of now, WhatsApp does not allow copying specific text in a message. Instead, users are required to copy the entire text, paste it in another field, and remove the unnecessary text before sending it. However, this can become a hassle when having to deal with larger texts. WhatsApp's in development feature is expected to make this process easier and more efficient.

WABetaInfo states that the aforementioned feature for both Android and iOS versions of the instant messaging platform is still in development and is only available to some beta testers who are registered via Apple's TestFlight programme following the WhatsApp for iOS 25.16.81 update. Meanwhile, it is not present on Android and not even testers registered via the Google Play Beta programme have access to it at the moment. It is expected to be rolled out to more users over the coming weeks.