WhatsApp is the biggest messaging platform in the world. With over 1.6 billion monthly active users, none of WhatsApp alternatives can come even close to beating it. However, that doesn’t mean that WhatsApp is the best messaging app on the market. The app is still missing several features that other messaging apps offer. In this article, we are going to take a look at 17 features that are still missing from WhatsApp in 2020.
Features Missing from WhatsApp in 2020
There are several reasons why WhatsApp is slow to introduce new features. Since it supports a plethora of different devices, it needs to ensure that its updates are not breaking the experience. WhatsApp has to work extra hard to keep experience the same across devices and platforms.
Also, since it has a huge user-base, the company understands that not all its users are going to be tech-savvy. So, it has to walk the fine line of introducing new features and keeping the experience simple.
And while I understand the company’s problems, it can do better when it comes to releasing new features. So, we are going to talk about the features that are missing in WhatsApp and hope that the company will release them in the future.
- Message Scheduling
- Hiding Profile Pictures from Specific Contact
- Permission Require Before Sending Messages to Unknown Contact
- Mute Individual Users in WhatsApp Group
- Chat Heads / Chat Bubbles
- Cross-Platform Chat Backups
- Dual-Account Support
- Encrypted Cloud Backups
- Do-Not-Disturb Mode
- Individual Chat Lock
- Stand-alone Desktop and iPad App
- Self-destructing Messages on WhatsApp
- Leave Group without Announcing It
- Improve Group Features and Admin Controls
- Send Uncompressed Photos and Videos
- Call Recording
- Block Forwarded Messages
1. Message Scheduling
One of the biggest missing features in WhatsApp is the ability to schedule messages. I have been waiting so long for this feature, but I don’t think it’s even on their radar. Sometimes you remember something, but it’s not the appropriate time to message someone.
In such a case, you can either write it down or set a reminder. While all those things work, it would be great if you could just schedule the message. Thankfully, there are third-party apps that you can use to schedule messages on WhatsApp.
That said, the third-party solutions are never as good as native the one. I just hope that WhatsApp will release this feature sooner rather than later.
2. Hiding Profile Pictures from Specific Contact
While WhatsApp allows you to hide your stories from specific contacts, the feature does not apply to your profile picture. Changing your profile picture is like broadcasting to your contact list that you are actively using WhatsApp. Many users, including me, don’t want that. It would be great if we could keep our profile pictures private from selected contacts.
3. Permission Require Before Sending Messages to Unknown Contact
WhatsApp should also introduce a new feature where people cannot message you without sending a request first. Currently, anyone who has acquired your number can message you regardless of the fact if they are in your contact or not. If would be great if people have to send a permission request first.
4. Mute Individual Users in WhatsApp Group
One of the Twitter tricks that I love is the ability to mute an individual, so I don’t get notifications of their tweets. It’s a great way to ignore someone without unfollowing them. In WhatsApp, you can mute both individual and group chats, but sadly, you cannot mute an individual inside a group chat.
5. Chat Heads / Chat Bubbles
I hate using Facebook Messenger, but I do love the chat head feature that allows me to easily dismiss the chats in a bubble, and keep on using my smartphone. Since WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, I don’t know why this feature is still not available on WhatsApp.
You can use third-party apps to get chat head bubbles for WhatsApp. But again, a native execution will be better than third-party ones. It seems that Android 11 will introduce chat bubbles support for all messaging apps.
But considering Android’s update history, a minor percentage of devices are going to receive this update. It would be great if WhatsApp implements a native chat head feature, and makes it available for all devices.
6. Cross-Platform Chat Backups
One of the biggest flaws of WhatsApp is its inability to transfer chats when you switch your mobile platform from Android to iOS or vice versa. I use both Android and iOS devices and switch between them constantly.
And let me tell you, it’s a pain to lose your chats when you make the switch. All those conversations, gone! There are hacks and third-party apps that you can use, but they don’t work perfectly. WhatsApp should make this transition easier.
7. Dual-Account Support
Most Android smartphones and modern iPhone support two SIMs. But WhatsApp still lets you run only one account on a device. This stops me from using a personal account for people close to me, and a public one for everyone else.
Yes, you can use app cloning services like Parallel Space to run dual-instances of the app. But, app cloning only works on Android devices, so iPhone users are out of luck. And tell me, wouldn’t it be easier if you could access both accounts from the same app?
8. Encrypted Cloud Backups
While your chats on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted, your chat backups are not. Whether you are backing up chats on your Google Account or iCloud, if someone gets hold of your account, they can easily read your entire message history. Now that’s a scary proposition, isn’t it? It’s 2020, and we should have encrypted cloud backups of our chat.
9. Do-Not-Disturb Mode
WhatsApp doesn’t have any built-in do not disturb mode. Sometimes when I am working, I do not want to enable DND on my entire phone, rather just on WhatsApp, so I am not disturbed by constant message notifications. People need a break from messaging from time-to-time, and it would be great if they can just enable DND mode for a few hours.
10. Individual Chat Lock
While you can lock WhatsApp using the built-in biometric lock or an app lock app, you cannot lock individual chats. Some chats are more private than others, and it would be great if we can add an extra security level.
11. Stand-Alone Desktop and iPad App
Let me just say this outright I hate the WhatsApp web app. The desktop app that they offer is just a wrapper of the web app. And they don’t even offer that for iPad.
I would love a Telegram like desktop app experience, where my desktop app is not dependent on the mobile app to function. It will not only make the experience smoother but will also ensure that the desktop apps are not being treated as second class citizens.
12. Self-destructing messages on WhatsApp
This might not be a popular feature, but I know many users will love the ability to send self-destructing messages on WhatsApp that automatically deletes when the recipient has read them.
13. Leave Group without Announcing It
I am in more WhatsApp groups than I would like to admit. And leaving any group is out of the question as WhatsApp announces it to the entire group when you leave it. I just wish WhatsApp will allow users to leave groups quietly.
14. Improve Group Features and Admin Controls
When it comes to groups, Telegram is the king. Not only you can add more members, but you also have more control. You can do things like restricting members from sending photos and gifs, giving them a timeout before they can send messages, and more. WhatsApp should bring these Telegram features.
15. Send Uncompressed Photos and Videos
I hate sharing photos and videos on WhatsApp because it drastically reduces the quality by compressing them. I know you can attach them as files to prevent compression, but it would be better if users didn’t have to use any hacks.
WhatsApp should also increase the file size limit from 100 MB. WhatsApp alternatives like Telegram, allow us to send 1GB files and WhatsApp is still stuck at 100 MB.
16. Call Recording
I have kept this feature so low on the list just because I know WhatsApp is never going to introduce it. Call Recording is illegal in many countries, and that’s why native call recording is absent on most audio calling apps. You can use third-party apps to record calls on WhatsApp, but the success rate varies depending on the device you are using.
WhatsApp can include a feature, where if both parties agree, the call recording can start. This will ensure that nobody is recording calls without permission, and still provide the feature to everyone.
17. Block Forwarded Messages
The final big feature that is missing is the ability to disable message forwarding. There should be a setting that once enabled, blocks forward messages. This will help in cutting down the spam. At the least, there should be a setting that allows users to disable the forwarding of messages that they have sent to other users.
The Missing WhatsApp Features I want
So that was the list of missing WhatsApp features that I would like to see in future updates. I understand that some of the features will never be released, but there are some low-hanging fruits there that WhatsApp can enable and make life easier for users. What do you think of this list? What’s your main feature that is missing in WhatsApp? Let us know in the comments below.
