WhatsApp is making it easier to find old messages within a chat threasd. The messaging app is rolling out a new search shortcut for iPhone users, letting them search within individual conversations, group chats, and Channels without first opening or navigating to a separate screen.
WABetaInfo is reporting that WhatsApp is officially releasing an in-chat search button on iOS. Previously, searching a conversation required tapping the person’s or group’s name at the top of the screen, selecting Search and then returning to the chat to enter a keyword.
The new shortcut cuts out those extra steps. The new search button appears near the top of the screen when users scroll up through an existing conversation. Tapping it immediately opens the familiar search interface, letting you enter a keyword and jump between matching messages. The button disappears again when you scroll back to the newest messages, keeping it out of the way when you don’t need it. The same contextual shortcut works across one-on-one conversations, group chats and WhatsApp Channels.
WhatsApp tested an earlier version of the feature in August, although that implementation placed a floating search button near the bottom-right corner of the conversation. The final design moves it to the top of the screen instead.
The change arrives amid a fairly busy stretch of WhatsApp updates on iPhone. The app recently expanded its Liquid Glass redesign, bringing Apple’s translucent interface to more areas of the conversation screen. WhatsApp is also reportedly working on support for additional accounts, potentially allowing iPhone users to manage as many as three profiles from one app.
The new search shortcut is rolling out gradually through WhatsApp for iOS, meaning it may not immediately appear for everyone even after installing the latest version. It’s hardly a revolutionary addition, but given how quickly a useful message can disappear beneath months of messages within a group chat, removing a few barriers is a solid improvement.
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