WhatsApp is officially discontinuing the avatar feature on Android and iOS, removing support for creation, editing, and profile usage. This update reduces access to avatars by removing related tools from settings, chat screens, and the keyboard entry point while still leaving previously saved stickers available.
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Story about: | Avatar support deprecated |
| What is changing: | Avatar creation, editing, profile display, and avatar stickers are being removed |
| When does it take effect: | The change is being deployed gradually across Android and iOS devices. |
| Thanks: | FastenM, Sc, kingcyrious, Federico Trevisani, UnluckyTester, lostliano, IsaacAndHisIsaac, Youssef Salem, Muhammad Hammad, and shw_9876, for testing and reporting. |
| Previous news: | WhatsApp will bring the Liquid Glass interface to the chat screen! |
WhatsApp introduced profile avatars with customizable design
In the post about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.18.14 update, we announced a feature that allows users to add an avatar to their profile. With this functionality, it is possible to create and customize a digital representation of yourself by selecting facial features, hairstyles, and outfits. Users can also choose a background color and apply animations to make their avatar more dynamic and expressive. Once users configure an avatar, WhatsApp displays it alongside the profile photo in the chat info screen. This offers a dual representation within the profile. When someone views the profile, WhatsApp uses a flip animation to switch between the real photo and the avatar.
WhatsApp refined avatars with new styles and stickers, but user adoption is still low
Over the years, Meta has introduced several updates to the avatar feature. First, Meta refined their visual style and expanded the range of options to customize avatars. WhatsApp also rolled out a feature that allows users to generate personalized avatar stickers for chats. With these improvements, WhatsApp aimed to make avatars more engaging and expressive. However, it seems that user interest in avatar features has remained lower than WhatsApp likely expected.
WhatsApp is shutting down avatars as gradual removal reaches more users
As you can see from the attached screenshot, WhatsApp is officially deprecating avatars on iOS and Android. WhatsApp is introducing this change gradually, so more users are losing access to the feature over time. Users can check whether WhatsApp has already affected their account by opening the avatar section within the app settings. In such cases, WhatsApp displays an alert to explain that users can no longer edit their avatar. The message informs users about the upcoming deprecation to avoid confusion and that the system will soon remove it from the profile. In addition, WhatsApp has already removed the entire avatar section from the app settings for some users. This indicates that the feature is gradually disappearing completely.
WhatsApp quietly expands avatar removal as rollout reaches more users
This deprecation process had already been quietly underway over the past few months for both WhatsApp users on iOS and Android. However, the rollout has become more widespread in the past few days, as it is reaching a larger number of accounts. This suggests that the removal is no longer a limited change, but it is part of a broader deployment phase. As a result, avatars appear to be heading toward complete removal soon.
WhatsApp removes avatar access from keyboard while keeping existing stickers available
In addition to deleting avatars from the app settings and the chat info screen, WhatsApp is also removing the avatar entry point from the keyboard. This means users will no longer be able to access or send their avatars as stickers directly from the conversation screen. However, previously sent avatar stickers will not disappear from conversations. They will still remain available in the recent stickers section for quick reuse. In some cases, they may also remain in the favorites tab if users saved them there earlier.
WhatsApp drops avatars due to low usage and limited user engagement
WhatsApp has not publicly explained the exact reasons behind the decision to remove avatars. However, we can make some reasonable assumptions. Like any other app or service, WhatsApp collects usage data on its features to understand how users interact with them. In this case, WhatsApp can track how many people have actually created and used an avatar. These statistics likely showed that only a small portion of users engaged with the feature or showed interest in it. As a result, WhatsApp may not have considered maintaining and developing the avatar feature further a priority. So the decision appears to be driven by low adoption and limited engagement. This allows WhatsApp to focus its resources on more widely used and impactful features within the app.
WhatsApp shuts down avatar features as access gradually disappears for users
WhatsApp is discontinuing support for avatar features across the app. Users will no longer be able to create, edit, or manage their avatars once the rollout is completed. If you are currently using an avatar, you may notice that the feature becomes unavailable in your account settings or profile section. There is no specific date announced for when all users will lose access to avatar creation and editing. Instead, we can expected the change to take effect gradually over the coming weeks as the rollout progresses.
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