WHATSAPP polls are available on iPhone and Android right now – but they’re not stopping there.
The popular chat app is working on delivering polls to millions more devices in a future update.
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Polls for WhatsApp chats began rolling out to the world earlier this month.
But there was a big omission: WhatsApp on desktop.
If you’re using a computer, there is no way to create your own poll.
Now the sleuths at WABetaInfo have discovered the addition of polls on the WhatsApp for Windows desktop beta.
If you’re on the beta, you should begin to see poll creation soon.
“If you want to create a poll, you need to click the attach icon placed next to the chat bar,” WABetaInfo explained.
“A poll shortcut will show up and it opens the view shown in this screenshot.
“You can add up to 12 options to the poll and it is always end-to-end encrypted so only other people in the same conversation can read and reply to it.”
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The feature works just like it does on iOS and Android, and is available in both individual and group chats.
Sadly it’s not clear exactly when polls will roll out generally for desktop – but they’re likely coming soon, given that the feature is already live on mobile.
If you want to try the latest WhatsApp features first, follow our guide below to join the beta.
How to get WhatsApp beta
To download WhatsApp beta for your smartphone you need to go to Google Play on your Android and search for WhatsApp.
Scroll down the page until you see “Become a Beta Tester”.
Tap the “I’m In” button and then click “Join” to confirm.
Now all you have to do is wait for the update to the beta version of the app.
Joining the WhatsApp beta on iOS is more difficult, and has limited capacity.
Follow Apple’s guide here.
How to create a WhatsApp poll on iPhone or Android
First, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve updated your WhatsApp.
That means diving in to the Apple App Store on iOS for iPhone or Google Play store on Android.
Once you’ve updated, check your WhatsApp app.
Open up a chat and then look for the + icon at the bottom of the screen.
This is the same button you’d normally use to add a document or share your location.
Tap it and look for Poll at the bottom.
If it’s not there, you might have to wait a few days for the roll-out to complete.
Once you see Poll, tap it and then you’re taken to a brand new view.
The first field is Question. You can add whatever you like.
It could be a word or phrase, or even an emoji followed by a question mark.
Then begin filling in your poll options – up to a maximum of 12.
WhatsApp will warn you if any of your answers are repeats of a previous one.
You can also adjust the order of the answers using the hamburger icon (three stacked lines) on the right-hand side. So don’t worry about getting them in the correct order in the first instance.
Once you’re done, hit send.
If you quit a poll in progress, you can choose to either keep editing or discard it.
Unfortunately you can’t save it for later. Use it or lose it.
Bear in mind that poll recipients can select multiple answers if they want.
But you can’t choose the same answer more than once – so respondents won’t be able to fudge the numbers unless they’re also in the group on another account.
Anyone in the chat will be able to see the poll, as long as their app is updated.
You can also tap the View Votes button at the bottom of an existing poll to get a better breakdown of who voted and when.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
