WhatsApp update: You will soon be able to send photos, files without using internet

First Published Apr 24, 2024, 4:11 PM IST

The offline mode of file sharing could be WhatsApp’s version of Nearby Share/Quick Share that works to let you share files with the help of Bluetooth and access to the nearby devices.

WhatsApp will soon allow you to share files or photographs to someone in your vicinity without utilizing the internet. Previously, the messaging software only supported file sharing up to 2GB. WhatsApp's version of Nearby exchange/Quick Share, which allows you to exchange files over Bluetooth and access to nearby devices, may be the offline file sharing option.

The Android beta version of the feature is presently being tested, and it clearly demonstrates WhatsApp's request for permission on your phone to access nearby devices, your phone's photo gallery, and the device's location. Nearby Share also requires this permission for the off-the-internet file sharing to function.

One benefit of these file-sharing capabilities is that you may manually block access to them at any time, which is a wise precaution to take. Although the offline sharing capability has already been mentioned, the tool's beta testing phase indicates that the actual release may not be too far off.

You might argue that the majority of applications rely on the internet to function, so the fact that WhatsApp has an offline functionality is encouraging, particularly for sharing material with contacts or those in the vicinity while using its full encryption capability.

Additionally, WhatsApp is testing a new feature that allows it to provide these facts when you click the plus symbol at the bottom of the screen.

According to WAbetainfo's most recent article this week, Android users running version 2.24.9.14 are able to beta test the new functionality. Essentially, the messaging app is adding a new option to its design called Recently online. This tab is located directly above the part where you can view the names of all of your WhatsApp connections.

“While this feature doesn’t provide a comprehensive online list of all contacts, it effectively simulates such functionality by displaying a limited number of recent active contacts, particularly when attempting to select contacts to place a call with,” the tipster highlights in the post.
 

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