WhatsApp is constantly working on new features, which are generally seen in beta versions before being released. That’s also the case today, when some enterprising folks dug through the latest WhatsApp beta for Android and found an upcoming Logout option in Account settings.
Once it goes live, when you tap it you’ll be presented with two options – one of those will have you log out while also erasing all of your data and preferences, while the other will keep your data and preferences.
WhatsApp Logout option in testing
If you pick the route that will erase your data, it’s basically just like uninstalling WhatsApp. It logs you out and deletes all app data and preferences, but doesn’t remove you from groups. On the other hand, the option that won’t erase data simply logs you out without touching anything else – your chats, group chats, data, and preferences will all be there waiting for you when you get back. You can then restore everything easily by simply signing in again with your phone number.
So, with that in mind, this feature seems to be tailor made for those who want to take a short break from WhatsApp for whatever reason. The Logout option still shows an “Internal” badge which tells us that it’s being actively tested internally in the WhatsApp development team. The next step should be a full beta release for everyone, followed of course by the stable release sometime after that.
