WhatsApp for iPhone recently got support for in-app notifications to quickly reply to them, now the Android app has also received support for quick replies so that you can reply to notifications easily without opening the app. This feature is available in the latest beta version 2.12.560 through the Google Play Store, so it is also not available through the website yet.
WhatsApp’s quick reply feature works in any screen, including the lockscreen, similar to the pop-up notification feature. After hitting the reply button, users will enter an overlay where they can type their reply and send it without opening the app. You can tap the message to open the message in the app. This new quick replies feature cannot be turned off in the settings.
Google Messenger app for Android got support for quick replies last year and the Hangouts app got the feature earlier this year. The update also adds option to select multiple ‘chats’ and archive or change mute settings. These new features are expected to roll out for the stable version of WhatsApp soon.