WhatsApp is getting built-in noise cancellation for calls: Here’s how the feature works

WhatsApp is rolling out a built-in noise cancellation feature for voice and video calls, and some Android beta users can already try it. Spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.14.1, the feature filters out ambient background noise in real time—think traffic, wind, café chatter—without distorting the speaker's voice.

According to WABetaInfo, the feature is on by default, so it kicks in automatically when a call starts. Users don't need to dig through settings to enable it. If it's clipping the audio too aggressively, there's a toggle in the calling menu to turn it off mid-call.

How WhatsApp noise cancellation works, and what it can't do

Here's the catch: the feature only cleans up your outgoing audio. If only one participant has it enabled, it helps the other person hear them more clearly—but it doesn't improve the incoming audio on their end. For the best experience, both sides need to have it switched on.

The processing happens locally on the device. Audio from the microphone is filtered before it's encrypted and transmitted, so WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption remains intact.

The feature was first spotted in development back in March in beta version 2.26.11.8, and it's now moved into active testing. Access is still limited—WhatsApp is gradually expanding the rollout to more beta testers over the coming weeks, with a broader stable release expected after that.

It's a practical, long-overdue addition for anyone who takes WhatsApp calls from noisy places—which, let's be honest, is most of us.