Searching for that one WhatsApp message? iPhone users may soon have an easier way to find it

Ever tried finding an old WhatsApp message and ended up scrolling through months or even years of chats? WhatsApp is working on a feature that could make that process much easier for iPhone users.

The messaging platform is reportedly developing a new chat search shortcut for iOS. The feature is said to help users access message search more quickly without having to leave the conversation or navigate through multiple menus, according to the WhatsApp tracker website WABetaInfo.

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WhatsApp to make old messages easier to find

WhatsApp is working on adding a new search button at the bottom of the chat screen. The button is expected to appear when users scroll upwards through a conversation. This could be particularly useful when users are looking for a specific message buried deep inside a lengthy chat.

At present, finding an older message can require users to access the search option through the existing interface and then enter a keyword or phrase. The new shortcut aims to make the process more direct.

Why iPhone users may find this useful

For people who have years of conversations stored on WhatsApp, searching for an old message can be frustrating. A message containing an address, payment details, travel information, documents or an important conversation can easily get buried under newer messages.

New shortcut 

For example, if you are scrolling through an old conversation and suddenly remember that you need to find a particular message, you would not have to leave the chat to look for the search option. The shortcut appearing while scrolling could let you begin searching directly from the conversation.

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Feature is still under development

The search shortcut is currently being developed for WhatsApp on iOS, according to WABetaInfo. It is not necessarily available to all iPhone users yet. As with other features spotted during WhatsApp's development process, the company could continue changing how the shortcut works before making it available more widely.