WhatsApp is rolling out a paid partnership feature for some beta testers on Android and iOS, giving channel admins an official way to label sponsored content. The feature is not yet available to all beta testers, and no specific version or build number has been confirmed for this rollout. This is confirmed by an official report tracking the rollout, which points to WhatsApp’s own help resources on channels. Channel admins can apply the label directly from the update itself, and it appears the same way for every follower.
What The Paid Partnership Feature Does
The paid partnership feature adds a formal disclosure option inside WhatsApp channels. Channel admins can mark any update as sponsored content instead of typing a manual note in the caption. This closes a gap that has existed since channels launched, since admins previously had no built in way to flag brand deals. AllBetaInfo has not tested this build directly, so every detail here reflects verified reporting on the rollout.
How Channel Admins Add The Label
Admins apply the label by tapping and holding a channel update to open the context menu. A new option called Add paid partnership appears inside that menu for accounts included in this rollout. Selecting it applies a visible label directly on the update. Once the label is applied, WhatsApp does not allow the admin to remove it from that specific update afterward.
What Followers See On Each Platform
The label appears identically for every follower, regardless of which WhatsApp platform they use. It shows on Android, iOS, Web, and Desktop without any extra action from the person viewing the update. This consistency matters because channel content often reaches large audiences across multiple devices at once. A follower cannot miss the disclosure once an admin has applied it to an update.
Why WhatsApp Is Adding This Now
Regulators in the United States and the European Union increasingly require platforms to give creators tools for disclosing commercial content. The European Union Digital Services Act specifically requires platforms to offer this kind of labeling option. X introduced its own paid partnership label for creators in March 2026. WhatsApp is following the same direction with this rollout for channel admins on Android and iOS.
Part Of A Bigger Channel Monetization Push
This feature does not stand alone inside WhatsApp channels. Earlier reporting has covered WhatsApp developing Promoted Channels and Status Ads, which place sponsored content inside the Updates tab. WhatsApp has also tested paid channel subscriptions that let admins charge for exclusive content. The paid partnership label gives this growing monetization structure a matching disclosure layer for admins.
What Happens Without The Label
Regulators can treat undisclosed sponsored content as deceptive advertising in several countries. This exposes channel admins to investigations, fines, or other enforcement action depending on where their followers are located. Beyond legal risk, followers who discover a hidden brand deal often lose trust in that admin going forward. The paid partnership label directly reduces both of these risks for admins who use it consistently.
Who Has Access Right Now
WhatsApp is limiting this feature to some beta testers on the latest versions of WhatsApp for Android and iOS. No exact version number has been confirmed for this specific rollout, based on available reporting. The company also has not announced a timeline for expanding access to all beta testers or to everyone. Admins who do not see the option yet should expect it to appear gradually over coming weeks.
Conclusion
WhatsApp is treating channel disclosure as a platform level responsibility rather than leaving it to individual admins. Paired with Promoted Channels and Status Ads, this points toward a more structured monetization system across WhatsApp channels going forward.
AllBetaInfo will confirm the exact version number and test the feature directly once broader access becomes available.
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