WhatsApp is rolling out new chat themes on Android beta
WhatsApp is introducing new chat theme categories on Android, giving users more tools to personalize their conversations. The update brings five categories for chat themes and a separate set of categories for wallpapers. WhatsApp also assigns bubble colors automatically for every theme to make messages easier to read.
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Feature: | New chat theme categories |
| Status: | Rolling out |
| Compatibility: | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.37.6 is a compatible update. |
| Availability info: | This feature is available to some beta testers, and it is rolling out to more people over the coming weeks. |
| Thanks: | Muhammad Hammad, kingcyrious, and shw_9876, for testing and reporting. |
| Previous news: | WhatsApp launches a search shortcut for chats and channels! |
WhatsApp rolled out new chat themes on iOS
In the post about the WhatsApp for iOS 26.33.73 update, we announced five new chat theme categories. These categories give users a new set of wallpapers and styles to personalize their conversations. One of these categories introduce animated wallpapers that move slowly in the background. For every theme, WhatsApp automatically selects the bubble color that complements the wallpaper to keep the text readable.
WhatsApp is introducing new chat themes and wallpapers on Android
WhatsApp is not limiting the chat theme update to the iOS app. Today, WhatsApp is finally bringing the same theme experience to the Android app. This makes both apps offer the same level of personalization to all users. We discovered this feature with the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.37.6 update, which is available on the Google Play Store. With this update, WhatsApp is rolling out new chat themes and wallpaper categories to some beta testers. The update offers a better chat theme experience to Android users.
The Chat theme categories on Android
WhatsApp is introducing the same theme structure available on iOS. WhatsApp includes into the "Featured" category the best themes from other categories. Nature offers themes with outdoor landscapes. For example, users can find deserts, forests, mountains, and coastal views. The "Live" category features animated wallpapers that move slowly in the background. Minimal keeps the interface plain without patterns or distractions. Doodle brings the classic pattern that many users recognize from the default wallpaper.
The Wallpaper section gets its own categories
WhatsApp is also grouping wallpapers in separate categories, making it simpler to find specific wallpapers. Users can set a wallpaper without choosing a full theme. It is possible to choose a wallpaper from the same categories available for chat themes. In addition, WhatsApp is introducing vibrant and gradient wallpapers. Vibrant offers bold, colorful wallpapers that make the chat screen feel energetic. Gradient provides smooth color transitions that give the chat a modern look. If users do not like these wallpapers, they can still choose one from the gallery or create it using AI.
The Live category includes animated wallpapers
Both the chat theme section and the wallpaper screen include the "Live" category with animated wallpapers. WhatsApp keeps the animations slow, making the interface feel dynamic without distracting users from the conversation. As a result, these wallpapers are intentionally slow, since faster animations could affect readability and accessibility. Live wallpapers show a small badge in the corner of its thumbnail, so users can easily notice them.
WhatsApp assigns bubble colors automatically
WhatsApp automatically chooses the bubble color based on the theme and wallpaper. This makes messages easy to read against any background the user selects. Users do not need to adjust anything manually since WhatsApp chooses the color for them. However, users can choose a different color if they do not like the default one.
WhatsApp is rolling out new chat themes to Android beta testers
This feature is available to some users who install the latest update from the Google Play Store. WhatsApp is rolling it out gradually, so not every beta tester will see the new themes immediately. If the categories do not appear yet in the theme picker, they should become available to more accounts over the coming weeks. In addition, some users who install the stable release may get the same feature. However, WhatsApp has not announced when this feature will be available to everyone.
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