Like other apps, WhatsApp relies on beta testers to try out new features before they are rolled out to everyone in a public update. This could be anything from displaying a friend’s current location, live, or the ability to edit messages after you’ve sent them – all these have shown up in beta versions of WhatsApp long before rolling out to a bigger audience. Giving access to upcoming features allows companies – including WhatsApp – to iron out the kinks, without affecting the experience of a billion users worldwide.
How to Download WhatsApp Beta on iPhone
The WhatsApp beta test programme for Android is an opt-in scenario, as it rightly should be. If you’re looking to join the WhatsApp beta, we’ve got the requisite steps below. Before that, a caution – new beta versions are issued much more frequently than regular app updates, which can quickly get annoying for some people, and more importantly cause unexpected app crashes. If you’d like to avoid that kind of pickle, you’re better off staying on the general build of WhatsApp.
Thanks to Google Play’s in-built beta testing process, it’s pretty easy to get on the beta bandwagon for any Android app. There are two ways to do so – the first, via a browser and the second, directly through Google Play.
Here are the steps you need to follow to join WhatsApp beta for Android using a Web browser:
- Open your browser of choice – Chrome, Firefox, or Opera among others.
- Head over to the WhatsApp beta test page on the Google Play website.
- Log in to the Google account that you use on your Android device.
- If you’ve multiple account sign-in enabled, click your user icon in the top-right and choose the preferred one.
- Click the button that says “Become A Tester”.
Congratulations, you’ve been enrolled into the WhatsApp beta testing programme for Android. Now follow these steps to download the latest WhatsApp beta for Android:
- Open Google Play on your Android phone, and search for WhatsApp.
- When you open the app page, the title will reflect to say “WhatsApp Messenger (Beta)”, with a line below it that reads: “You’re a beta tester for this app. Awesome!”
- You should receive an update for WhatsApp in the next few hours that will take you to the beta version.
Follow these steps to join WhatsApp beta for Android using Google Play:
- Open Google Play, and search for WhatsApp.
- Scroll down past the app description, images, and similar apps section to locate the “Become a beta tester” panel.
- Touch the button that says “I’m in”. It will ask you to confirm; choose “Join”.
- You should receive an update for WhatsApp in the next few hours that will take you to the beta version.
How to leave WhatsApp beta for Android programme
If you’ve had troubles with the beta version of WhatsApp on Android, you can back to the more stable one available to the general public. Again, you can do so from the browser, or via Google Play.
How to leave WhatsApp beta for Android via a Web browser:
- Open your browser of choice – Chrome, Firefox, or Opera among others.
- Head over to the WhatsApp beta test page on the Google Play website.
- Log in to the Google account that you use on your Android device.
- If you’ve multiple account sign-in enabled, click your user icon in the top-right and choose the preferred one.
- The page should have a section called “Leave the testing program”. If it doesn’t, you aren’t part of the beta already.
- Under that section, look for the option called “Leave the program”, and click it.
- The next page that opens should mention that “You left the test”.
- Uninstall the current WhatsApp beta version, and then reinstall the public build.
How to leave WhatsApp beta for Android via Google Play:
- Open Goole Play, and search for WhatsApp.
- When you open the app page, the title should say “WhatsApp Messenger (Beta)”, with a line below it that reads: “You’re a beta tester for this app. Awesome!”
- If that’s not the case, you aren’t signed up to the beta. Hoorah! Everyone else, move to the next step.
- Scroll down past the app description, images, and similar apps section to locate the “You’re a beta tester” panel.
- Touch the button that says “Leave”. It will ask you to confirm, so choose “Leave” again.
- Uninstall the current beta version of WhatsApp, and then reinstall the public build.
Have you had any trouble joining or leaving the WhatsApp beta programme on Android? Leave your queries in the comments below.