WhatsApp's updated typing indicator inches closer to reality

Key Takeaways

• WhatsApp for Android is adding three floating dots to show when someone is typing.
• The updated typing indicator is currently limited to the beta version of the app, though its broader appearance shouldn't be far away.
• This typing indicator with three dots has been a fixture of other Meta-run apps like Instagram and Messenger apps for a while now.

WhatsApp, much like most messaging apps you'll find today, has a ton of tools to make your texting experience that much better. However, for whatever reason, the typing indicator is still somewhat archaic. We stumbled upon evidence in October to suggest that WhatsApp would replace the current solution with three floating dots to indicate the person on the other end is typing. The Meta-owned chat app is now gearing up to make this updated typing indicator widely available to users.

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While most texting apps show a typing indicator within the message window, generally with three dots, WhatsApp currently shows it on top of the chat, just below the contact name or phone number. However, according to multiple user reports, including by Android Police and APKMirror founder Artem Russakovskii on X/Twitter, WhatsApp's updated typing indicator with the three floating dots is now available (via 9to5Google).

Only available in beta for now

To be clear, this change is only live for those on the beta channel, with no confirmed reports of the revamped typing indicator being available in the stable version. But given that the feature was first spotted in development not too long ago and has now made its wider appearance in beta, it's safe to assume that a rollout on the stable channel is not far away.

I'm seeing the new typing indicator on WhatsApp beta v2.24.24.24, which isn't the latest beta available right now on APKMirror, suggesting that a server-side switch may be involved here. This doesn't come across as a surprising change, given that sister apps like Instagram and Messenger have offered similar three-dot typing indicators for many years now. If anything, it's surprising that Meta/WhatsApp has taken this long to implement this change.

In other WhatsApp news this week, the app also announced support for voice message transcripts. This will enable users to get a text description of voice notes, which can be pretty handy if you receive voice texts that are lengthier than usual. WhatsApp said in a blog post that "a few select languages" will be available to start with, while more will be added in the future.