WhatsApp’s Next iOS Update Could Bring Liquid Glass Design Across the App

WhatsApp is preparing a major visual refresh for iOS, testing a “Liquid Glass” design across beta versions. Selected users on iOS now see translucent elements, updated animations and a floating chat bar, as the app moves closer to Apple’s newer interface style.

The redesign effort started in late 2025, around December, when WhatsApp pushed an early beta hinting at this shift. At that stage, some users noticed small interface tweaks on the main chat screen, signalling that the app was aligning with Apple’s Liquid Glass design language.

WhatsApp Liquid Glass Design Testing on iOS Beta

The core of the Liquid Glass design on WhatsApp involves semi-transparent layers that create depth on screen. This effect is clear on the floating tab bar, while buttons and interactive controls adopt a soft, frosted look with smoother, more fluid animations throughout the interface.

Visual alignment goes beyond the main chat area. The keyboard and context menus follow the same glass-like principles, with translucent backgrounds and subtle motion. These changes aim to keep the entire interface consistent, so different parts of the app feel related while still remaining familiar to existing users.

WhatsApp Liquid Glass Design Chat Interface Changes

According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is rolling out the Liquid Glass design gradually, watching performance and user feedback before wider deployment. The company is also testing extra refinements, looking at how each design tweak affects daily use and whether further adjustments are needed ahead of a full release.

With the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 26, distributed via the TestFlight app, testers have spotted the Liquid Glass design moving deeper into the chat interface. WhatsApp is now focusing on how conversations look and behave, not just the surrounding navigation elements or menus.

The chat bar remains fixed at the bottom of the screen but now appears as a floating strip, sitting over a translucent, glass-like background. Shortcuts, including the button that jumps to the latest messages in a conversation, are being redesigned to match this style, so the whole lower section adopts the same visual approach.

This Liquid Glass chat interface is still under active development and is planned for a later update rather than an immediate public launch. WhatsApp plans to refine the look for consistency, roll it first to beta users in stages, and then extend availability more broadly after testing, with reports published on 03 May 2026 outlining the current progress.