WhatsApp is testing a new short-form video recording feature for iOS that lets users create looping clips under seven seconds, bringing boomerang-style functionality directly into the messaging platform.
Reports suggest that the messaging application is testing a new feature on Apple iOS operating system powered devices, that allows users to record videos of less than seven seconds that are played in a loop, a video function with a "boomerang" effect similar to that found on other platforms such as Instagram. The feature was first spotted by WABetaInfo, a tracker that closely monitors WhatsApp's beta releases and has a reliable track record of identifying upcoming tools before they reach the wider public.
The recording option for this type of video is available in the WhatsApp video panel, which allows users to convert videos into animated GIF images with which they can convert videos in less than seven seconds. These videos can then be shared with other contacts. For anyone familiar with Instagram's boomerang tool, the concept feels immediately recognizable. You capture a brief moment, and the app plays it forward and backward in a continuous cycle, turning an ordinary clip into something more eye-catching and shareable. The difference here is that WhatsApp is baking this directly into a messaging experience used by over two billion people worldwide, which gives the feature a different kind of reach than a standalone social media filter.
The new feature was noticed in the WhatsApp version for the iOS system, but not for Android mobile phones, and at the moment, it is not activated in the final application for users. Even though the feature is still in its beta mode and only for iOS devices, it should soon be out for testing on Android powered mobile devices as well. This staggered rollout approach is standard for WhatsApp. The company typically refines new tools on one platform before expanding to others, ensuring bugs are caught early and server-side adjustments can be made before millions of users get their hands on the functionality.
What makes this addition worth paying attention to is how it fits into a broader pattern. WhatsApp has been steadily transforming from a simple text messaging app into something closer to a full multimedia communication hub. Over the past year alone, the platform has expanded its status features, improved voice and video call quality, and introduced tighter integration with Facebook's broader ecosystem. The boomerang-style video tool is another step in that direction, giving users more creative options without requiring them to leave the app.
This new video function will be accompanied by the existing video features, such as the expected night mode. A feature that will finally come after the holidays. Night mode has been one of the most requested capabilities among WhatsApp users who frequently share video content, especially in low-light environments where standard recordings often appear grainy and unusable. The application also works in multiplatform mode, which will be very useful and practical. Depending on the aerial capture, an editing function will also be available. Therefore, a new button will be added at the bottom of a conversation, along with the rest of the actions for users to make use of the new feature.
The timing of these updates is not accidental. Messaging platforms are locked in an increasingly competitive battle for user attention, with Telegram, Signal, and Apple's iMessage all pushing their own sets of creative and privacy-focused features. WhatsApp's strategy appears to be focused on making the app indispensable by reducing the number of reasons a user might switch to a competitor. Every new recording tool, editing option, and multiplatform capability is designed to keep people inside the app longer and make the experience feel more complete.
For users, the practical impact is straightforward. Once the boomerang feature rolls out beyond beta, sharing short looping clips in a WhatsApp chat will be as simple as recording a regular video. No third-party apps, no extra steps, no leaving the conversation. That kind of frictionless experience is exactly what has kept WhatsApp at the top of the messaging market, and it is clear the company intends to maintain that edge by continuing to absorb the best features of competing platforms directly into its own product.
