A WhatsApp Interface Built for the New iOS Visual Language
WhatsApp is quietly rolling out a major visual refresh for iPhone, adopting a Liquid Glass design that closely tracks Apple’s latest iOS visual language. Based on findings from WABetaInfo, the redesign is currently being tested in WhatsApp for iOS version 25.28.75, with the new look being enabled gradually via the App Store. The aim is not to reinvent the app, but to make it feel more native within the updated iOS environment. Familiar layouts remain, but the overall presentation leans heavily into transparency, depth, and motion. This brings WhatsApp visually closer to system apps, reflecting a broader push by major developers to match Apple’s contemporary interface direction and deliver a more cohesive experience as users move between core iOS features and third‑party apps.
Inside the Liquid Glass Look: Translucent Tabs and Layered Depth
At the heart of the WhatsApp Liquid Glass redesign is a shift from flat panels to layered, translucent surfaces. The most noticeable change is the bottom navigation bar: it now appears as a semi‑transparent strip that subtly blurs chat content behind it, creating a floating, glass-like effect. This translucent tabs design also adapts across light and dark modes, tuning blur and transparency so the bar remains legible while still feeling integrated with the background. Screenshots from the beta show softer depth effects and glass-like overlays used throughout the interface, delivering a more modern, immersive look without abandoning WhatsApp’s core structure. The result is an interface that feels cleaner and more premium, especially on OLED displays where subtle gradients, shadows, and transparency can stand out more vividly than in the older, flatter design.
Refined Buttons, Menus, and Animations for a Smoother Experience
Beyond the navigation bar, WhatsApp’s interface update extends the Liquid Glass visual language to buttons, menus, and animations. Buttons across the app are being refreshed with semi‑translucent surfaces and softer, more fluid tap responses, replacing the stiff feel of earlier builds. Context menus now share the same glass-like treatment, featuring adaptive transparency and layered visuals that float above dimmed content, echoing Apple’s contemporary design cues. WhatsApp is also adopting the native iOS 26 keyboard style, introducing a translucent, reflective keyboard that subtly responds to the underlying chat background. These changes aren’t just cosmetic: smoother animations for icon taps and dynamic active-tab indicators help the app feel more responsive and polished. Together, the new visuals and motion design suggest WhatsApp is leaning into a more expressive, system-aligned aesthetic while preserving the workflow users already know.
Gradual Rollout and What Users Should Expect Next
For now, the WhatsApp Liquid Glass redesign is limited to select users, and even those on version 25.28.75 may not see it immediately. Meta is enabling the new look on a server-side basis, using the beta period to monitor performance, gather feedback, and refine details before a broad release. Some elements still lag behind the new language; for example, the chat bar retains parts of the older flat design, indicating the overhaul is a work in progress rather than a finished visual package. As testing continues, users can expect more sections of the interface to adopt transparency, depth, and refined motion. While there’s no firm timeline for full availability, the direction is clear: WhatsApp on iPhone is evolving toward a more cohesive, premium experience that mirrors Apple’s latest iOS visual identity without disrupting the app’s familiar everyday usability.