The test was discovered in the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.24.22.16. Reacting to messages with your recent emojis is how reactions work on Instagram, Telegram, FB Messenger, and even Slack. Basically, the feature surfaces the emojis you tend to use the most first in the list of reactions.
WhatsApp message reactions. | Image Credit – WABetaInfo
Right now, WhatsApp has a default list of reaction emojis, the most basic ones. A personalized reaction list is a quality-of-life update. That way you can show your personality by reacting with some quirky and not-expected emojis (I do it all the time and it’s quite fun, in all honesty). You will also be able to swipe to the left to reveal the next set of emojis after the top seven ones that would be on the top. So, even if you need an emoji that’s not in your most used list, you can still get it. And you’ll still have the ‘Plus’ button if you’re searching for something specific.
The beta update also contains a new video autoplay feature for Channels, and also Status mentions, which started rolling out earlier this month. The personalized emoji reaction lists and the video autoplay for Channels features are expected to gradually roll out to more beta testers before making an official launch. It is not clear yet when this will be, though.
As I mentioned above, I like this feature very much and I tend to use quirky emojis instead of the basic ones almost all the time. It’s fun and different, and having some of my favorite ones instead of the basic ones shown on top is a great way to make me want to use WhatsApp more.
