WhatsApp Re-Testing 'Clear Badge' Feature for Unread Messages

WhatsApp is retesting a recently nixed setting that lets users choose whether the app automatically clears the unread message count badge on its Home Screen icon after every launch.

Whatsapp Feature
WABetaInfo reports that the feature is controlled by a new toggle in WhatsApp's iOS notification settings, called "Clear Badge." The setting carries the description: "Your home screen badge clears completely after every time you open the app."

The option, which is already available in WhatsApp for Android, should serve to reduce clutter on the user's Home Screen, and potentially lessen "unread anxiety." WABetaInfo notes that the feature may have already appeared for some users in the past few weeks, including those on the stable release from the App Store. However, for reasons that remain unclear, WhatsApp decided to disable them shortly after their initial release.

The feature is currently making its way through beta testing again via TestFlight, so expect it to roll out to all WhatsApp users in the coming days.

Popular Stories

ios 26 1 slide to stop

iOS 26.1 Brings Back 2007 Feature in New Way

Friday October 31, 2025 1:40 pm PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a small but helpful change for iPhones, and it could prevent you from running late to something important. Specifically, when an alarm goes off in the Clock app, there is a new "slide to stop" control on the screen for turning off the alarm. On previous iOS 26 versions, there is simply a large "stop" button, which could be accidentally tapped. The new ...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
M5 MacBook Pro

Waiting for New Macs? Apple Just Shared Bad News

Friday October 31, 2025 7:32 am PDT by
Apple has just given a strong indication that it will not be releasing any additional new Macs for the remainder of the year. Apple's CFO Kevan Parekh dropped the hint during the company's earnings call on Thursday:On Mac, keep in mind, we expect to face a very difficult compare against the M4 MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac launches in the year-ago quarter.Parekh essentially gave a heads up ...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

8 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Thursday October 30, 2025 4:42 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
Coffee Burgundy and Purple iPhone 18 Pro Mock 1

Leaker Outlines Potential New Colors for iPhone 18 Pro

Friday October 31, 2025 8:28 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 18 Pro models could be available in new rich and warm color option, according to a known leaker. The Weibo user known as "Instant Digital" today suggested that next-year's iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in at least one of the following color options: Coffee, purple, and burgundy. The iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone 12, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Pro were all available in ...
ipad mini 7 feature blue

OLED iPad Mini: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Wednesday October 29, 2025 7:13 am PDT by
Rumors are stoking excitement for the next-generation iPad mini that Apple is reportedly close to launching. So what should we expect from the successor to the iPad mini 7 that Apple released over a year ago? Read on to find out. Processor and Performance Apple is working on a next-generation version of the iPad mini (codename J510/J511) that features the A19 Pro chip, according to...
Apple Foldable Thumb

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Friday October 31, 2025 8:52 am PDT by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that have been leaked about Apple's foldable iPhone so far. Ove...

Top Rated Comments

deg0ey Avatar
9 months ago
Isn’t that how it always worked? Most annoying thing about WhatsApp is that if you leave a message to read later the badge disappears and you have to remember to go back to it on your own unlike almost every other app.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OhFrenchman Avatar
9 months ago
Yes, and you can disable that behavior, the setting has been present for a while. Just disable "Clear badge" in the Notifications settings of WhatsApp.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
revfife Avatar
9 months ago
I know it has a big user base in the rest of the world, but the only thing I've seen WhatsApp used for in the states is spoofing phone numbers and scam artists. I know several people who have had their instagram accounts hacked through WhatsApp spoofing.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alayal Avatar
9 months ago

Yes, and you can disable that behavior, the setting has been present for a while. Just disable "Clear badge" in the Notifications settings of WhatsApp.
I have missed this feature, it is the most annoying thing about WhatsApp and now it solve, thank you!
Hopefully some day they add a AW app…
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
joeblow7777 Avatar
9 months ago
That's nice, but I wish they would just make an iPad app already.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
9 months ago
I wish Apple had a universal setting for read notifications. Every time I touch my iPad, I am being greeted with a million notifications, dating back days, which I have already cleared on my iPhone.

Somehow this actually works with WhatsApp, even between iPhone, Android and MacBook. I read the message on one device, it turns to read on the other devices yet apps like instagram … nope
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)