WhatsApp Global Voice Note Player Is Out for Desktop App Beta Testers

WhatsApp is finally rolling out the much-anticipated version of its global audio player for desktop users of the app. So far, the feature was available only to iOS device owners who could use it to keep listening to voice memos in the background even after they leave the chat and start scrolling through a different one. With this capability, the voice note playing in the back will not be canceled as the user swipes back in the chats list or opens a different conversation. The Meta-owned messaging app is now inviting desktop users to join in on the beta testing; this lets one hope that the global audio player feature will soon be expanded to include all other WhatsApp users. 

The new feature for desktop app users will be located at the foot of the chats list, while iOS users can find it at the top of the screen. The global voice note player will comprise the Play/Pause button and the progress indicator with a moving grey bar. Also available is the Close button, with which the user can discontinue playing a memo, and the sender’s profile picture. 

At present, the new global media player feature is only offered in WhatsApp Desktop beta 2.2204.5, though, according to the WABetaInfo tracking platform, some WhatsApp Desktop 2.2204.1 beta users might also be able to test it. There is, likewise, little knowledge about when the company is planning to enable similar functionality for the Android platform; the feature is said to be under active development now. All being well, we might have more news to share with WhatsApp’s next stable update, so stay frosty!

What do you think of the new update? Can you see yourself using the global voice note player a lot when the feature is made fully available? Feel free to share your opinion with us by leaving a comment below!