November 5, 2026: WhatsApp has begun rolling out a new feature for Android and iOS users that automatically suggests recently saved photos and videos when they open a conversation, making it easier to share media without manually browsing their phone’s gallery.
The feature, called Recent Media Suggestion, displays a thumbnail of the latest photo or video above the chat input field. In some cases, the camera icon is temporarily replaced with a preview of the suggested media.
The update is designed to simplify media sharing by allowing users to access their most recent gallery content directly from the conversation screen.
When users tap the suggested thumbnail, WhatsApp opens its media editing interface rather than sending the file immediately.
This allows users to review the selected photo or video, add captions or stickers, and make any necessary changes before sharing it with a contact.
Users can also ignore the suggestion and continue their conversation normally without interacting with the displayed media.
The feature automatically identifies the most recent file saved in the device’s gallery. This may include a photograph taken with the phone’s camera, a screenshot or a video downloaded from another application.
According to the reported rollout details, Recent Media Suggestion will activate automatically once it becomes available for an account.
However, users who prefer not to receive these suggestions can disable the feature through WhatsApp’s settings.
How to turn off Recent Media Suggestion on WhatsApp
Users can follow these steps to disable the feature once it becomes available:
Open WhatsApp on an Android phone or iPhone.
Go to Settings.
Select Chats.
Find Recent Media Suggestion.
Turn off the option to stop automatic media suggestions.
The setting allows users to control whether recently saved photos and videos appear as suggestions in their conversations.
WhatsApp said the feature is being introduced gradually, meaning it may not be immediately available to all users.
The company expects the rollout to reach more Android and iOS accounts over the coming weeks.