WhatsApp has rolled out an update to iPhone users bringing many new features with it. The new update version 2.17.40 brings features like pinned chats, support for all file types, and the ability to delete multiple photos in one go. First up, WhatsApp version 2.17.40 brings the ability to pin favourite chats to the top of the chat screen to keep them easily accessible, irrespective when you last exchanged messages with that contact. In May, WhatsApp introduced this feature to all Android users, after testing it in beta for a month, and now it’s available to WhatsApp users on iPhone as well.
With the new feature, WhatsApp users can pin up to three contacts on top of the rest of the conversations. To pin a chat on iOS, make sure you have the latest WhatsApp update from the App Store, swipe right and the Pin option now shows up next to the Unread option of a chat. Click on Pin, and the chat will be shifted to the top where it will remain till you Unpin it in the future. The maximum limit to pin chats, as mentioned, is up to three, so choose wisely which chat you would prefer to stay on top. After the ceiling limit, the app shows a notification that ‘You can only pin up to 3 chats’ if you try to pin another chat.
Support for all file types was officially announced for Android users last week and, now, iPhone users get this feature mentioned in their official update change log as well, confirming its arrival. With this new feature, WhatsApp now allows you to send a document of any type, and it won’t limit you to select file types like before. To attach a document – open a chat, tap on attach, and select the desired document.
Lastly, WhatsApp version 2.17.40 also adds support for deleting a group of photos quickly by just tapping and holding them. Thanks to the new photo bundling feature, a chunk of photos sent right after the other are bundled together automatically to save chat screen space. These bundled photos can now be deleted altogether at once. Just tap and hold the photo album (no 3D Touch pressure required), and a new option to Forward All or Delete All will show up. Clicking on the Delete All option will delete all the photos at once from the chat without the need to select individual photos as was the case earlier.
Interestingly, this update also has a hidden feature that might be the most interesting one of them all. WhatsApp is apparently testing the ability to play YouTube videos in line, which means you will not need to leave the messaging app to view the latest trending videos. This feature is not available to everyone just yet, and it will be interesting to if and when that happens.
WhatsApp version 2.17.40 for iPhone is 99.6MB in size, and is available for download via the App Store right away.