(Image source from: Canva.com)
WhatsApp is reportedly trying out a new function in its Android app that allows users to easily bring in profile pictures from their other social media accounts. A feature tracker discovered that the messaging app might support direct transfers of profile images from other apps owned by Meta Platforms, like Facebook and Instagram. This is an extension of other features that let users access apps across platforms, such as single sign-on and shared profile management. According to a feature tracker named WABetaInfo, this new capability will become available starting with the WhatsApp beta version for Android 2.25.21.23. After updating to this version, users can start importing profile pictures from Facebook and Instagram to their WhatsApp accounts. This option is said to be located in the profile settings of WhatsApp.
To change their profile picture, users generally click on their current photo and then select the Edit option. Previously, they could either take a new picture with their camera, select one from their phone's gallery, choose an avatar, or create an image with Meta AI. However, the screenshot shared by WABetaInfo reveals that two new options, Facebook and Instagram, have been added to this selection. It's thought that selecting either of these will automatically retrieve the profile photo linked to that account. However, users may need to connect their WhatsApp account to the Meta Accounts Centre, which manages how Meta's apps interact with one another. Until now, if a user wanted to use a photo from a social media account on WhatsApp, they would need to upload it from their device's storage. If that wasn’t possible, they had to download the photo from Facebook or Instagram and then manually upload it to WhatsApp. This new integration could make this process much simpler.
WABetaInfo reported that this new feature is initially deactivated and offers users complete control over their decision to link their accounts. Linking these Meta accounts reportedly does not influence WhatsApp's fundamental privacy features, like end-to-end encryption. The feature tracker stated that the ability to import profile pictures from Facebook and Instagram into WhatsApp is still being developed for Android. It is currently accessible only to beta testers enrolled in the Google Play Beta program and might be included in a future update of the application.
