WhatsApp is testing new navigation updates for the iOS interface
WhatsApp is working on new updates for the bottom navigation bar on iOS, and a Contacts tab now looks like the main step. Status updates already moved to the top of the chat list, and channels are on their way into the Chats tab too. After releasing these changes to everyone, WhatsApp can finally introduce a dedicated hub for online contacts.
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Feature: | Contacts hub |
| Status: | Under development |
| Availability info: | This feature is currently in development, and it is not available for beta testing. In the meantime, check out this article for a sneak peek. |
| Previous news: | WhatsApp is working on passkey device linking for Android! |
WhatsApp plans a hub to highlight active and recently online contacts on Android
In the post about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.13.3 update, we announced a feature that will let users see who is currently online. This feature will introduce a new hub where users can see which contacts are active on WhatsApp right now. This will help users quickly understand who they can start a conversation with at that moment. The new section will also show contacts who were recently online, so users can reach someone even if that person isn't online right now. To preserve privacy, WhatsApp won't display contacts who hide their last seen and online status in this section.
WhatsApp will bring the contacts tab to the bottom navigation bar on iOS
This feature is still under development on Android. WhatsApp continues to refine it to offer a bug-free experience ahead of the official release on the App Store. In the meantime, WhatsApp moves the same updates toward the iOS app as well. This is the news we discovered with the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.26.10.16 update, which is available on TestFlight. Specifically, WhatsApp is working on bringing a Contacts tab to the bottom navigation bar in the future.
How WhatsApp will organize the new Contacts tab
The Contacts tab will allow users to easily reach out to their favorites at the top of the interface. Below that, WhatsApp will display the full contacts list, and users can sort it alphabetically or by activity. If users decide to sort the list by activity, they will see a green dot next to contacts who are currently online. In addition, they will see contacts who were recently online along with their last seen. Similar to the Android app, WhatsApp won't include contacts who hide their last seen and online status in this list either.
WhatsApp already moved status updates and channels into the Chats tab
WhatsApp is already testing two important changes on iOS, and both point toward this new tab. Previously, WhatsApp moved status updates to the top of the chat list, similar to how Instagram places stories at the top of the feed. With the latest updates, WhatsApp is also working on a feature to move channels into the Chats tab. Here, users will be able to select a preset filter that immediately shows only channels in the chat list. At the bottom of that filtered list, users will find the option to open the channel directory, where they can discover more channels to follow.
This is why WhatsApp will replace the Updates tab on iOS
Status updates and channels make up most of what users find in the Updates tab today. Once WhatsApp moves both of them into the Chats tab, the Updates tab no longer has a clear purpose on its own. This will allow WhatsApp to replace the Updated tab with something new. As a result, WhatsApp can use that spot for the new Contacts tab instead. The pieces line up: WhatsApp builds the Contacts tab around the same time it moves everything out of the Updates tab.
WhatsApp for Android confirms the same updates for the bottom navigation bar
WhatsApp is currently working on the same navigation experiments for the Android app. At that time, WhatsApp was experimenting with two different configurations. With the first one, WhatsApp would have replaced the Meta AI tab with the Contacts Hub. Instead, the second one would allow WhatsApp to introduce the Contacts Hub by replacing the Updates tab. It seems WhatsApp will remove the Updates tab on Android too, the same way it seems to do on iOS in the future. This puts both Android and iOS on the same path toward a unified navigation structure built around a Contacts tab.
WhatsApp is developing the Contacts tab for a future iOS update
The Contacts tab is currently under development on iOS. It is not available to users yet, and it is not enabled for beta testers at this stage. WhatsApp has not announced an official timeline for its release. However, we expect the feature to become available to beta testers in a future update before WhatsApp rolls it out to all users in the stable version.
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