WhatsApp is rolling out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.23.12.19.
What’s new in this update? WhatsApp is rolling out a redesigned emoji keyboard, and it is available to some lucky beta testers again!
| Common questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature? | Redesigned keyboard |
| Status? | Rolling out |
| Compatibility? | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.12.19 is marked as a compatible update. |
| I’ve installed this update but I don’t have this feature. Why? | This feature is available to some beta testers, and it is rolling out to even more users over the coming weeks. |
| Thanks: | Traiti and kingcyrious, for testing and reporting! |
| Previous news? | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.12.15: what’s new? WhatsApp is working on redesigned floating action buttons! |
REDESIGNED KEYBOARD
In the article about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.12.13 update, we posted news regarding a redesigned keyboard, aimed at improving the user experience. A redesigned GIF and sticker picker was also released to some beta testers after installing the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 23.12.0.70 update from the TestFlight app, bringing similar enhanced experience. However, some beta testers that installed the recent updates of WhatsApp beta for Android noticed that the feature was no longer available. Finally, thanks to the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.12.19 update available on the Google Play Store, certain users may experiment with the redesigned keyboard again:
Since this feature was only available to a select group of users in the previous updates, you may have never experienced the redesigned keyboard. For this reason, we can explain to you again the important changes in this update. With the introduction of this new feature, users now have the ability to scroll the keyboard upwards, allowing users to get a wider view. In addition, the tabs for accessing the GIF, sticker, and avatar sections have been relocated higher up. Some beta testers may also experiment with a new arrangement of the media sharing and emoji keyboard buttons, but this was already announced in previous updates.
As mentioned earlier, this feature had been removed in the past few days. We explained on Twitter, that this was probably due to several bugs experienced by a lot of users while using the keyboard. WhatsApp had likely decided to disable the redesigned keyboard in order to address the issues reported by users. According to some reports, some users may still experience certain minor bugs, but they will definitely be fixed in future updates.
The redesigned keyboard is available to some lucky beta testers again that install the latest WhatsApp beta for Android update from the Google Play Store, and it is rolling out to more users over the coming weeks.
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