In the latest beta update, WhatsApp has added a couple of new features to its chat ecosystem. After adding the ability to send and receive GIFs stored on devices, the famous chat messenger has now added the ability to search GIFs from within the app. This feature has been available for iOS users since November 2016, has now made its way to Android users.
The beta version which adds this feature is 2.17.6. So make sure you are on the mentioned beta version or else have a quick gaze at your pending updates at the Google PlayStore.
Assuming you are on the beta version 2.17.6, you can now find a new ‘GIF’ toggle at the bottom when you hit the Emoji icon while typing a message in the app. Tapping the GIF toggle will lead to a new built-in GIF gallery (Giphy or TENOR) which is where users can now choose from a tonne of options available.
WhatsApp was expected to roll out this update ever since iOS got it, however, it took some time for the Facebook-owned chat messenger to bring the feature to the Android platform. Earlier, we could edit a video and send it as GIF or send and receive pre-stored GIFs in the mobile device but we had to use an external GIF library to do so. Now, everything is done right from within the app, saving a lot of time for GIF sending enthusiasts.
The second feature which WhatsApp has added is the increased media sharing limit. Previously, WhatsApp users could only send a maximum of 10 photos or videos in one go, but now, one can send in up to 30 photos or videos or other media in one go. This was a much-needed change and would now help users to save a lot of time as sending 10 media items at a time would earlier require you to repeat the steps multiple times if you wanted to send photos and videos in bulk.