WhatsApp scheduled messages are now in development for both individual and group chats
WhatsApp is finally working on a feature that rival apps have offered for years. The platform is developing scheduled messages, allowing users to write a message in advance and choose exactly when it gets delivered.
The feature is still under development. It has not reached beta testers yet. However, code discoveries from WABetaInfo confirm that WhatsApp is actively building it. Earlier findings from WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.7.10.72 revealed the feature for individual chats. The latest beta for iOS 26.22.10.76 on TestFlight shows that group chat support is also in progress.
How It Will Work
To schedule a message, users will tap and hold the send button. WhatsApp will then prompt them to select a date and time for delivery. The feature suits a wide range of use cases — birthday wishes, reminders, timed updates, and messages for contacts across different time zones.
WhatsApp already lets users schedule calls through the Events option. However, it has never offered a dedicated message scheduling tool. Until now, users have relied on workarounds like the Shortcuts app to send timed messages.
Scheduled Messages Section
WhatsApp is also building a dedicated section to manage all scheduled messages. After a user schedules a message, it appears in this section before delivery. Users can view the full list and delete any message before it goes out.
Importantly, deleting a scheduled message before delivery does not notify the recipient. Additionally, WhatsApp will display scheduled messages directly in the chat list, making it easy to see which conversations have a pending message waiting.
Group Chat Support
The feature will also work inside group chats. However, WhatsApp will only deliver a scheduled group message to members who were part of the group at the time of scheduling. Therefore, anyone who joins the group afterward will not receive it. This design keeps the message tied to the original group context when the sender created it.
Time Limit
WhatsApp will require users to schedule messages at least 10 minutes into the future. This gives users a short window to cancel or edit if they change their mind quickly. Furthermore, the maximum scheduling window extends up to two weeks in advance, offering solid flexibility for planning ahead.
Availability
Scheduled messages remain in development with no confirmed launch date. The feature is not yet available to regular users or beta testers. Once development wraps up, WhatsApp will likely roll it out to beta testers first before a wider stable release follows.
Telegram has offered scheduled messaging for years. Moreover, apps like Gmail and various third-party tools have long made timed delivery a standard expectation. WhatsApp joining that list is long overdue — and for its billions of users worldwide, it will be a genuinely useful addition when it finally arrives.
