The Android beta update lets users star favourite tracks from Meta's music catalog for quick access later, alongside a duration picker and waveform selector for customising status update music clips.
WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that lets users bookmark their preferred music tracks within the status update editor. The addition is part of a broader effort by Meta to expand the app's music catalogue and improve how users interact with it.
The feature, currently being introduced in phases, allows users to star any track from the catalogue, making it easier to find and reuse favourite songs later rather than searching for them each time.
Starring tracks and fine-tuning clips
The update also brings a duration picker, so users can choose how long a track plays within their status. A waveform selector lets them pick the exact portion of the song they want to feature, giving more control over how the final clip sounds. Together, these tools are meant to let users draw from Meta's extensive music catalogue and shape status updates to their own taste.
The starring function itself is available in WhatsApp's Android beta version 2.26.38.1. Users can mark a track with a star directly from the music catalogue, after which it moves into a dedicated Starred list for quick access. There is no cap on how many tracks a user can star, and any track can be unstarred at any time by tapping it again.
A dedicated filter for saved favourites
To go with the starring feature, the update introduces a Starred filter on the music selection screen. This lets users view only the tracks they have previously marked as favourites, removing the need to search for a song by name each time they want to reuse it.
The Starred filter sits alongside existing filters such as Suggested, Mood and Genre, and functions in the same way, helping users move more easily between different sections of the music catalogue when building a status update.
Taken together, the changes suggest WhatsApp is trying to make its music catalogue feel less like a one-time browsing tool and more like a personal library users return to. By letting people save tracks once and reuse them without repeated searching, the update could make music-based status updates a more regular habit rather than an occasional feature.
As with most WhatsApp beta features, availability is currently limited to beta testers on Android, and there is no confirmed timeline for a wider public rollout.
