WhatsApp Beta adds screen lock for web interface and tests support for AI-generated stickers on Android

WhatsApp beta updates usually add new features or improve existing features for testers to try before they are made available to users on the stable channel. Also, the company has added support for WhatsApp AI stickers generated using command prompts in the latest beta Android app – this is the first user-facing feature utilizing artificial intelligence on WhatsApp. Meanwhile, the WhatsApp Web beta has started rolling out a security feature for the web interface. This allows users to prevent unauthorized access to their chats when they are away from their screen.

Following the update to WhatsApp Beta for Android 2.23.17.14, a very limited number of testers will be able to create and share AI-generated stickers, according to feature tracker WABetaInfo. The new feature can be found under the Stickers tab and can be launched by tapping on the new feature Create Button.

Sending an AI generated sticker on WhatsApp
Photo credit: WABetaInfo

The feature tracker explains that users who try the new feature will see a pop-up window with the title Create AI stickers and users can enter a prompt in the field containing the text Describe your sticker. A sample prompt with the text “Cat laughing on a skateboard” and the resulting sticker appears in the middle of the screen. The image shared by WABetaInfo does not show examples of generated stickers.

Meanwhile, the popular messaging service has introduced a new security feature with the latest WhatsApp Web 2.2333.11 beta. Users using this version can protect the web version of WhatsApp from unauthorized users by setting a password. Users must remember their password – or log out of WhatsApp Web and log back in if they want to regain access to the web interface.

This security feature is provided for some testers running the latest beta version of WhatsApp Web. The setting to enable password can be found under a new setting option under WhatsApp settings > privacy. Once the password is set, users must enter it every time they want to access their chats, and according to the feature tracker, push notifications won’t appear until the password is unlocked.