WhatsApp likely to introduce new text formatting tools

WhatsApp, the Meta-owned messaging platform, is developing new text formatting tools, which will provide users with more ways of presenting a particular text.

Back in 2016, WhatsApp introduced formatting tools like bold, italics, and strikethrough for text in the app, so you can lay emphasis on specific aspects, create subheadings, and redact text as needed.

Later that year, the monospace option was added, usually used to format code snippets. In 2017, developers delivered a tiny update squeezing all these options into the floating text toolbar they reside in today.

Since then, WhatsApp has done little to keep formatting tools abreast, while the likes of Telegram, Discord, and Slack raced ahead.

New formatting tools

A report by WABetaInfo reveals that WhatsApp has a new beta update for WhatsApp for Desktop, which has got three new text formatting tools. These come in addition to the existing bold, italic, and underline options.

The first one will be a Code Block, which will make it convenient to read lines of code, useful for coders exchanging words on WhatsApp.

The second tool will be the Quote feature. This will help users refer back to a previous message, making it easier to keep up with a conversation, which tends to get lost when there are numerous messages.

The last tool will help users easily make a list and this will come in handy while preparing a shopping list or a party list and even more helpful in groups. You can check out the screenshot for a better idea of the formatting below.

These new formatting tools are currently for beta testers on WhatsApp for Desktop but could soon reach Android and iOS beta users and eventually the general audience. These can help you have better and streamlined conversations, allowing users to choose how to style and present a message.