WhatsApp Adds In-Chat Search Shortcut on iOS in Version 26.36.74

Searching a noisy group chat just lost two taps. On September 17, 2026, WABetaInfo reported that WhatsApp Messenger for iOS 26.36.74 (App Store) is rolling out an in-chat search shortcut for both chats and channels.

How the shortcut behaves

The button sits at the top of the chat, just below the navigation bar, and appears when you scroll up through message history—then hides again when you jump back to the latest messages. One tap enters the familiar search mode so you can type a keyword without opening chat info first. WhatsApp previously forced: open info → tap search → return to chat in search mode.

Channels included

The same control lands in channels, which matters for high-volume broadcast feeds where older updates are painful to dig up manually. Placement moved from an earlier bottom-of-screen beta experiment to the top to avoid colliding with other bottom chrome.

Android side quest: more transcription languages

Separately on September 17, WABetaInfo noted WhatsApp Android beta 2.26.37.5 expanding voice transcription language packs—downloaded locally so transcription stays on-device/private by default—with additional variants for English, German, French, Italian, and Japanese alongside existing Arabic, Spanish, Hindi, Portuguese, and Russian support.

Rocks take

Small UX, real daily time save. Rollouts are gradual server-side—update the app, then wait if the button is missing. Source: WABetaInfo.

Why Meta is polishing search now

Channels and mega-groups made WhatsApp’s old “hunt through info” path feel dated versus Telegram/iMessage search habits. Shipping the shortcut on iOS first matches where power users already live in long threads.

Expect Android parity eventually; WABetaInfo often sees staggered platform enablement.

What to do if you do not see it

Install 26.36.74+, force-quit, reopen a busy chat, and scroll upward. If still absent, wait through the staged rollout rather than reinstalling repeatedly.

For transcription languages on Android beta, check Settings → Chat → Voice message transcription after updating.

FAQ

Which version? WhatsApp iOS 26.36.74 on the App Store per WABetaInfo.

Does it work in channels? Yes—chats and channels both get the shortcut.