WhatsApp is developing a new feature that could help users remember their contacts' birthdays by sending reminders within the app. The feature was spotted in WhatsApp's Android beta version 2.26.27.3 and is still under development, which means it's not yet available for users to test.

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is planning to notify users within the app when a saved contact's birthday is celebrated. This notification will hopefully allow users to directly open a chat and send birthday wishes without leaving WhatsApp. The company is also working on a dedicated birthday section that could list upcoming birthdays for saved contacts in one place.

This feature will rely on the birthday information associated with users' accounts. In some US states, WhatsApp already collects birthdate information as part of regulatory age verification requirements. According to the report, that information could be used to send birthday reminders in those regions. In places where the platform doesn't automatically collect birthdates, the feature could only work if users choose to provide their birthday information.

WABetaInfo also reported that an upcoming feature will allow users to add their birth date to their profile. Birthday prompts are also being tested in chat to make it easier to send greetings when reminders arrive.

Privacy options for birthday information haven't been provided yet. Users currently don't have any settings to control who can see their birthday information or hide it from contacts, though such controls are expected before the feature rolls out publicly.

Meta hasn't announced when this feature will be released. There's also no confirmation on when it might arrive in the stable version of WhatsApp for Android or if it will be rolled out to iOS.

PC: Gadgets 360