WhatsApp is experimenting with a new feature that automatically resets the unread message count badge on its app icon each time you open it. This is designed to minimize clutter on your Home Screen and provide a cleaner, more streamlined experience.
WABetsInfo initially broke the news about this development. Meta is currently trialing a new setting in the WhatsApp Beta for both iOS and Android. The feature is accessible to a limited group of beta testers, with plans to expand its availability to more users in the near future.
For those who already have access to this upcoming feature and are using the WhatsApp Beta through TestFlight, the process is straightforward. Navigate to the Settings tab and open the Notifications section. There, you’ll notice a new option labeled “Clear Badge” under the Home Screen Notifications category. When this toggle is activated, WhatsApp will automatically reset the notification count on its Home Screen icon each time you open the app.
WhatsApp to Automatically Clear Unread Message Badges
According to the feature’s description, “The Home Screen badge will be completely cleared every time you open the app.” This means the badge will reset regardless of whether you’ve read the unread messages. Essentially, this setting ensures that WhatsApp’s icon badge only shows the number of unread messages received since the last time you opened the app. As WABetaInfo explains, this provides “a real-time snapshot of what still requires your attention.”
In simpler terms, the badge won’t include older unread messages that you’ve already seen. Instead, each time you open the app, the unread message count will reset to zero, making it easier to focus on new messages.
On the other hand, if you choose to disable the “Clear Badge” toggle, the badge count will update after each view instead of being cleared. This mirrors the app’s current behavior. In other words, turning off this setting will cause WhatsApp to display the total number of missed calls and unread messages—both new and old—on its icon badge.