Play Again? WhatsApp Rolls Out New 2x Feature for Status Videos: How it Works
- WhatsApp is testing 2x playback for Status videos, helping users move through lengthy updates more quickly
- Users can activate double speed by pressing and holding the right side of a video Status
- The feature follows longer music clips on Status but remains limited to selected iOS beta testers
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Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
WhatsApp is testing another major change to its popular Status feature, giving users more control over how quickly they watch videos shared by friends, family and contacts.
The Meta-owned messaging platform is rolling out 2x video playback for Status updates, allowing users to temporarily watch videos at twice their normal speed.
Source: Getty Images
The feature, currently reaching selected beta testers on iOS, could be particularly useful for Nigerians who follow dozens of Status updates daily and want to move through longer videos more quickly.
Rather than changing playback speed permanently, WhatsApp has designed the feature around a simple press-and-hold gesture.
How WhatsApp’s 2x Status feature works
According to WABetaInfo, the feature was spotted in the WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.36.10.70 update distributed through Apple’s TestFlight programme.
To activate it, users simply open a video Status and press and hold the right side of the screen.
WhatsApp immediately increases the video to 2x playback speed. Once the user removes their finger, the video returns to its original speed.
That means there is no need to open WhatsApp settings or permanently change a playback option.
Users can also switch between normal and double speed several times while watching the same Status, giving them greater control over the viewing experience.
WhatsApp borrows familiar video gesture
The gesture should feel familiar to people who regularly watch videos on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, where similar controls are used to speed up video playback.
Bringing the feature to Status could make WhatsApp’s video experience feel more consistent with other major social media and video platforms.
It may also address a growing challenge as WhatsApp adds more multimedia tools to Status.
Longer music clips arrive on Status
The 2x playback feature follows another Status upgrade that gives users greater flexibility when adding music.
WhatsApp recently began rolling out longer music clips for Status updates on iOS, allowing users to select clips of up to 30 seconds.
Previously, music clips were fixed at 15 seconds, giving users less control over how long a soundtrack played alongside their Status.
With clips potentially lasting longer, watching large numbers of Status videos can consume more time. The new playback control offers users a way to move through longer updates faster without skipping them completely.
Importantly, the 2x option is not restricted to Status videos containing music. It is designed to work with video Status updates generally.
Not available to everyone yet
For now, WhatsApp users should not expect the feature to appear on every phone.
The 2x Status playback option is being released to selected iOS beta testers running the latest TestFlight version. Wider availability will depend on WhatsApp’s rollout and testing process.
Source: Facebook
WhatsApp has not announced a date for when the feature will reach all iPhone users or when a similar rollout could become widely available on Android.
For users who already have access, however, the update introduces a small but potentially useful change: instead of skipping a lengthy Status entirely, they can simply speed through it.
WhatsApp adds a fourth pinned message
Legit.ng earlier reported that WhatsApp is testing a small but useful change that could make busy chats and groups easier to manage.
The messaging platform is rolling out support for up to four pinned messages instead of the current limit of three.
Source: Legit.ng
