WhatsApp Beta: how to become a beta tester, get early updates

WhatsApp’s Beta Testing Program lets you test updates before the final public release.

WhatsApp, the most used instant messaging application that is being used by millions of people world-wide. In fact, WhatsApp a recent survey report also announced that almost 95 per cent of people in India, who have smartphones, are using WhatsApp as their primary messaging app.

WhatsApp has always been releasing the beta versions on their website. Before they add the final release to app stores on Google and Apple respectively, WhatsApp puts up the apps on their website WhatsApp.com so that people can download and test the beta versions before the final release. But installing the app by downloading to PC and then sideloading it to the phone is tedious. Hence, WhatsApp started the beta testing program which allows users to get instant beta updates directly via the respective play stores and you don’t need to download the beta apps to get the early releases anymore.

Simply head to the WhatsApp.com website, hit the download button, and then your respective smartphone operating system platform and a webpage will greet you to ask you if you want to join the Beta Testing Program. Once you register, you can simply check for updates to your WhatsApp on the app store on your smartphone. A new beta update will then start downloading and you will see WhatsApp updated to the latest version that no one must have installed before you. Best of all, we did see that WhatsApp servers had an older version than what we got as an update after joining the Beta Testing Program.

However, you should know that the Beta Testing Program does not come free. No you don’t need to pay for it—you will be getting WhatsApp beta updates almost every day, indirectly eating into your data plan. So make sure you are aware that your data is being used for updates. Secondly, WhatsApp Beta Testing Program will also collect automatic feedback and send it to the developers on a timely basis so that they can develop the final release app better. So you will also be transmitting some amount of data back to WhatsApp on your part.

You can always opt out of the Beta Testing Program whenever you want. Click here if you want to register to the program and stay ahead of others.