WhatsApp update will let you silently leave groups

Latest new feature is in beta for Android, iOS and Desktop versions of the app

The latest WhatsApp update will allow users to use the app like a business directory in some areas of the world (Getty Images)

WhatsApp is working on a new feature that will let users leave group chats without other members being alerted.

News of the update comes after a string of new features were introduced this month to the hugely popular messaging app, which counts more than 2 billion people worldwide among its users.

The latest version of WhatsApp on Android, iOS and Desktop allow users to react to individual messages with emoji, while also adding up to 512 people to groups.

Now people joining groups could soon slip out of them silently, in order to not offend other members or draw attention to their absence.

The latest update was spotted by the website Wabetainfo, which tracks new features that are currently under development at the Meta-owned messaging app.

The site shared screenshots of what the new feature will look like, revealing a message that pops up to WhatsApp users wishing to leave a group chat.

“Exit this group?” the pop-up asks. “Only you and group admins will be notified that you left the group.”

If rolled out to all users, this would mean that the auto-generated message that appears in a group chat when a member leaves would no longer appear.

The screenshot was taken from a beta version of the app for WhatsApp Desktop, though the site predicts it will be introduced for users across all platforms.

“Note that even if the screenshot is taken from WhatsApp Desktop beta, the feature will surely be released on WhatsApp beta for Android and iOS in the future,” Wabetainfo stated.

“But this feature is under development on WhatsApp Desktop beta at the moment and it is planned to be rolled out to users in a future update.”

WhatsApp does not comment on unreleased features for its app, and there is no indication yet of when it might be officially introduced.