WhatsApp testing Reels button in chats to make sharing Instagram Reels easier

Messaging platform WhatsApp is bringing a new feature for its users that will make sharing Instagram Reels in chats easier than before. A shortcut will be added to the chat attachment menu, allowing users to send Reels directly and quickly.

Users will reportedly get a Reels button in the chat. After tapping it, they will be able to browse Reels they have recently watched, saved or liked. The feature is being rolled out to select beta users for now.

The option will be available to WhatsApp users who have downloaded version 2.26.42.9 of WhatsApp Beta for Android from the Google Play Store. The new Reels button in the chat will take users straight to their Instagram activity. All recently watched Reels will appear there, and liked and saved Reels can be found in the same place. A Reel can be chosen by clicking on any of these sections and sent directly into the WhatsApp chat.

To use the shortcut, the user's WhatsApp account must be linked to Meta's Accounts Centre. A user who keeps their WhatsApp account separate from Instagram and Facebook can share Reels from the app as before without linking accounts, but will not see the Reels button in the chat attachment menu.

WhatsApp already allows Instagram and Facebook Stories, posts and Reels to be shared through the media picker. However, users have to open the picker and choose among different options. In the new shortcut, a separate button for Reels will appear in the attachment menu itself, so a video can be shared in one click without any extra steps.

The feature has been found in version 2.26.42.9 of WhatsApp Beta for Android and has been made available to a few beta testers for now. No information has yet been shared on when it will be rolled out to other users.