WhatsApp tests Android voicemail-style feature for missed calls

WhatsApp is testing a voicemail-like feature on Android that would let users leave a voice message when a call goes unanswered. The new option, detected in the latest Android beta as version 2.25.23.21, adds a “Record voice message” button to the call screen alongside the existing “Call again” and “Cancel” controls and appears in the chat thread as well. The feature is not yet visible in the iOS beta program, and there is no timetable for when or if a wider public rollout might occur.

How the feature is designed to work appears straightforward. If you place a voice call and the recipient does not answer, you will be offered a quick-record option to send a voice message directly from the screen. In addition to the call screen shortcut, the same recording option is reported to appear within the recipient’s chat, enabling a seamless follow-up without navigating away from the conversation. Users can still send voice notes outside of this context by tapping the paperclip icon in the chat, but the new shortcut is intended to streamline urgent follow-ups after a missed call.

This development arrives alongside another testing effort aimed at improving how users remember to return missed...