WhatsApp Introduces Feature to Summarize Unread Messages

WhatsApp is on the verge of launching an exciting new feature called ‘Quick Recap’, aimed at improving the user experience by summarizing unread messages from selected chats.

Unlike the current message summations that give brief updates on unread messages within individual chats, Quick Recap intends to provide a more comprehensive overview. This will enable users to catch up on multiple conversations without having to scroll through extensive message threads, according to WABetaInfo.

This new functionality from the Meta-owned messaging app utilizes Meta AI while ensuring strong privacy protections are upheld.

Scheduled for release in an upcoming update, the feature incorporates Private Processing—a specialized privacy-preserving environment that processes messages securely before handling any data.

This guarantees that the original message content remains confined within a secure environment, ensuring it is never exposed in a readable format.

Practically, users will be able to access the Chats tab, select up to five conversations, and click on a new icon labeled Quick Recap.

When activated, Private Processing will begin immediately, securely preparing unread messages so Meta AI can produce a recap without disclosing any personal information.

After a brief wait, the user will receive a concise summary of the most significant unread messages from each chosen conversation, effectively saving time and effort.

It’s important to note that Quick Recap can only handle summaries for up to five chats simultaneously. To receive summaries from more conversations, users will have to repeat the process for other groups or individual chats.

Furthermore, chats that have Advanced Chat Privacy settings cannot be included in Quick Recap. This limitation is not due to any vulnerability in the Private Processing architecture, but rather respects the choices made by users who prefer to exclude AI-driven features from specific chats.

Like other AI features in WhatsApp, Quick Recap will be entirely optional. This means it won’t be activated automatically; users must turn it on manually through the app settings.

This structure allows users to determine if, when, and how they wish to utilize Quick Recap based on their individual preferences and comfort level. The feature is currently in development.