WhatsApp Finally Gets Threads — Here’s Why It Matters
By Shuaib S. Agaka
If you’ve ever lost your mind trying to follow a conversation in a chaotic WhatsApp group, relief may finally be in sight. WhatsApp, the world’s most popular messaging app, is quietly testing a new threaded message reply feature that could make its cluttered chats far easier to navigate.
For years, WhatsApp users have juggled dozens (or hundreds) of daily messages, often forced to scroll endlessly just to figure out who’s replying to what. Unlike apps like Slack, Discord, or even Telegram, WhatsApp has never fully embraced threaded conversations. But that’s about to change.
According to WABetaInfo, the trusted WhatsApp update tracker, the feature was first spotted in the Android beta version 2.25.7.7, with work underway to bring the same experience to iOS. Early screenshots show a simple but powerful tweak: replies are grouped neatly under the original message, and a small icon shows how many responses are attached.
So, what’s the big deal? Think of it as putting all the replies into their own mini chat within the larger conversation. Tap the icon, and you’re instantly taken to a dedicated screen where every related reply is laid out in order, no more hunting through an endless scroll of memes and GIFs to piece together who said what.
In WhatsApp’s universe, where family groups, alumni reunions, and work projects collide in the same app, a feature like this could be transformative. Group chats move at breakneck speed, and it’s all too easy to miss an important response buried in the noise.
This upgrade should feel especially familiar if you use Slack or workplace messengers, where threaded replies have long helped teams keep discussions tidy and on-topic. For WhatsApp’s 2+ billion users, it’s a sign the app is finally catching up in the battle for better chat UX.
How does it work? When someone replies, the reply count appears as a clickable icon on the original message. Tap it, and you’ll see all replies together, plus, you can add a new response directly in the thread view, keeping everything connected. It’s a small design tweak with a big payoff: conversations stay organized, context stays intact, and confusion is kept to a minimum.
While the feature is still in beta testing, and WhatsApp hasn’t given an official launch date, it is expected to roll out in a future update for both Android and iOS. If it works as intended, the humble group chat may never be the same again.
