WhatsApp is testing a new spoiler protection feature to hide message content until tapped. Learn about formatting options and release updates.
© E. Vartanyan
A new spoiler protection feature for text messages may be coming to WhatsApp. In the latest test build of the iOS app, distributed via TestFlight, references to a tool that hides message content until the recipient taps on it have been found.
According to WABetaInfo, the new option is currently in development and not yet available even to beta testers, but its functionality is already known. The "Spoiler" formatting will appear alongside familiar tools like bold, italic, and strikethrough text. Once activated, the message will be covered by a gray overlay, requiring the recipient to touch it to reveal the hidden content.
It's also reported that text can be hidden not only through the formatting menu but also using a special syntax—by adding double vertical bars before and after the desired fragment. This means a construct like ||text|| will automatically turn it into a spoiler.
For now, it's unclear whether the feature will extend to images and other content types. However, given that similar development has been spotted in the WhatsApp beta for Android, the release of this innovation could happen in the upcoming updates.