WhatsApp may soon roll out new file-sharing feature with people nearby

WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new file-sharing feature with people nearby, similar to Android’s Quick Share and Apple’s AirDrop. It’s not ready for beta testing yet, though.

The new “People nearby” option, still under development, will enable users to find others nearby, and users will need to shake their devices to view share requests. Needless to say, the feature will be ideal for situations where a fast and direct transfer is required.

Besides, according to WABetaInfo, the first to notice the upcoming feature, the new file-sharing capability will retain end-to-end encryption to ensure the security of transferred files, and user phone numbers will remain hidden from non-contacts.

An official release date has not been announced yet, but there’s a screenshot doing the rounds. It suggests that both users will need to open the section to send and receive files, further ensuring secure sharing within close proximity.

In other words, to start sharing files, the sender and recipient must pop into the "People nearby" section and wait for the file transfer to complete. WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption will lock your information – it’s the usual drill across Meta's messaging platform.

Earlier, WhatsApp announced a new feature to allow users to share files up to 2GB in size. It’s not known yet whether the nearby sharing system will limit the file size you can share.

For comparison, Samsung’s Quick Share caps it at 1GB per file and 2GB per day, and Android’s Quick Share allows users to share up to 500 files daily with no size limit. However, Apple’s AirDrop doesn’t have any limits whatsoever.

WhatsApp, the Meta-owned messaging app has recently worked hard on improving already robust user security. In late 2023, it launched a new security feature that allows users to hide IP addresses during calls and prevent threat actors from knowing their location.

In November, WhatsApp also rolled out a new function that allows mobile phone owners to protect their conversations with a “secret code.”