Never miss a midnight birthday wish again, as WhatsApp is finally bringing a native message scheduling feature to its platform, potentially ending nearly two decades of user workarounds.

The Long-Awaited “Send Later” Feature

Meta-owned WhatsApp is currently developing a native WhatsApp message scheduling feature, a move that brings the world’s most popular messaging app on par with competitors like Telegram and Google Messages. Spotted in the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS (v26.7.10.72) via the TestFlight program, the feature allows users to compose a message and pick a specific date and time for automatic delivery.

While third-party automation apps and iOS “Shortcuts” have long been the only ways to schedule WhatsApp messages officially, this native integration promises a seamless, secure, and encrypted experience directly within the app interface.

How the WhatsApp Message Scheduler Works

The new tool is designed to be intuitive, functioning across both individual and group conversations. According to early previews and code analysis, here is how the workflow is expected to look:

Composition: Users write their message as usual.
Scheduling: A new option, likely tucked behind the send button or within the chat menu, will allow the selection of a delivery timestamp.
Management: A dedicated “Scheduled Messages” section will appear in the “Chat Info” screen. Here, users can view a queue of pending texts.
Full Control: Senders can edit or delete a scheduled message before it goes live. Notably, if a message is deleted before its scheduled time, the recipient will not receive any notification, as the message never technically hit their device.

Why This Matters for Indian Users

For the over 500 million WhatsApp users in India, this update is more than just a convenience. It serves as a vital tool for both personal and professional communication:

Event Greetings: Setting “Happy Birthday” or “Happy Anniversary” messages to trigger exactly at midnight without staying awake.
Professional Boundaries: Composing work updates at night but scheduling them to arrive during office hours (e.g., 10:00 AM) to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Reminders: Using group chats to schedule rent reminders, meeting links, or society announcements in advance.

WhatsApp New Features 2026: A Broader Push

The native scheduler isn’t the only major update hitting the platform this February. It joins a suite of WhatsApp New Features 2026 aimed at improving group dynamics and security. This includes the recently launched “Group Message History”—which allows admins to share up to 100 past messages with new members—and “Strict Account Settings,” a high-security mode designed to protect high-profile users from sophisticated spyware.

Rollout: When to Expect the Official Update

Currently, the WhatsApp message scheduling feature is in the “under development” phase. This means even most beta testers cannot see it yet, as Meta fine-tunes the UI. Following standard release patterns, a wider beta rollout is expected in the coming weeks, followed by a stable release for all iOS and Android users later this year.