WhatsApp chats to feature a dedicated Instagram Reels button; find out how this new feature will work...

Sharing Instagram Reels may soon become faster and easier for WhatsApp users. The company is testing a new shortcut in its Android app that will allow users to select and share Instagram Reels directly from the chat attachment menu. This eliminates the need to repeatedly open the media picker to search for videos. Currently, this feature is being rolled out to select Android beta users.

According to a report by WABetaInfo, this shortcut has been spotted in WhatsApp for Android beta version 2.26.42.9, which is available via the Google Play Store. However, not all beta users have received this feature yet, and the company has not announced a date for its wider release to all users.

Instagram Reels button in WhatsApp chats – As part of this new feature, a dedicated button for Instagram Reels is being added to the WhatsApp chat attachment menu. Tapping it will allow users to browse through their recent, saved, and liked Instagram Reels. Photo: WABetaInfo.

Users will be able to select any Reel from these sections and share it directly within a WhatsApp chat. This will save users from having to go back to Instagram to search for a video they want to share with friends or family.

Linking WhatsApp and Instagram accounts is required – To use this feature, users must link their WhatsApp account via Meta’s Accounts Centre. Only then will the new Reels shortcut appear in the chat attachment menu.

If a user prefers to keep their WhatsApp account separate from their Instagram and Facebook accounts, they can continue using these apps without linking them. However, in such a scenario, the user will not see this new Reels button within the WhatsApp chat.

An option to share Reels already exists—WhatsApp currently allows users to share Stories, posts, and Reels from Instagram and Facebook. To do this, users can open the media picker and locate the relevant content. The new feature is being introduced to simplify this process. With a dedicated shortcut for Reels, users will be able to browse their Instagram activity directly and send their favorite videos within a chat.

When will all users get this feature? WhatsApp is currently testing this feature with a select group of users on the Android beta version 2.26.42.9. Even after installing the update, it is not guaranteed that everyone will see the Reels button, as the company is rolling it out gradually.

WhatsApp has not yet announced a date for the release of this feature to all Android users. Furthermore, there is no information available regarding its availability for iPhone users at this time.