WhatsApp Tests an Android Home-Screen Widget for Voice Messages
WhatsApp is developing a new Android widget that would let users record and send voice messages directly from the home screen, without opening the app. The report comes from WABetaInfo, which tracks beta versions of the messaging service.
According to the report, the widget would add a dedicated shortcut on the home screen. After tapping it, a user could choose the contact they want to message and start recording immediately, which could make sending voice notes faster and more convenient.
The feature fits WhatsApp’s broader push to surface popular actions through quick-access tools and shortcuts. Over the past year, the company has already tested several other widgets, including one for Meta AI and others designed to show status updates from the home screen.
The feature is still in development and is not yet available to beta users. That means its design and behavior may still change before release, and WhatsApp has not announced when wider testing or a public launch might begin. If released, it would further strengthen voice messages as a central communication tool on the platform.
