WhatsApp is testing a new feature for Android users that could allow greater customization of chats through themes and wallpapers. The update may let users customize the chat background, theme and message bubble colors according to their preferences.
The feature is reportedly available to a limited number of beta users, while WhatsApp has not announced an official date for its global stable rollout.
Different Theme Categories May Be Available
According to reports, a new chat theme experience is being tested in WhatsApp Android beta version 2.26.37.6. The feature may offer multiple categories for selecting different designs and backgrounds. Potential categories include Featured, Nature, Live, Minimal and Doodle.
The Featured section may display selected designs from different categories. The Nature category is expected to include wallpapers based on natural scenes such as forests, mountains, oceans and deserts. The Minimal section may offer simple and clean designs, while the Doodle category could include backgrounds featuring WhatsApp's familiar doodle patterns.
Live Wallpapers May Include Subtle Movement
The Live category could be one of the features included in the update. It may offer animated wallpapers with slow and subtle movement in the background, giving the chat screen a different appearance from static images.
Reports also indicate that live wallpapers may carry a separate badge on their thumbnails to make them easier to identify. However, the availability, designs and final features of live backgrounds may change when the company officially rolls out the feature.
Gallery Photos May Be Used as Custom Wallpapers
The new feature may also give WhatsApp users the option to select photos from their phone gallery and use them as chat backgrounds. This could allow users to use a memorable picture, travel photograph or another preferred visual as a chat background.
Reports have also mentioned an option to create custom wallpapers with the help of AI. If included in the final version, the feature could allow users to create new designs according to their preferences and requirements. However, the availability of the AI wallpaper feature and details about how it would work have not yet been officially confirmed.
Themes and Wallpapers May Be Customized Separately
The update may allow users to customize themes and wallpapers separately. This would mean that a user who likes an existing chat theme but wants to change its background may be able to do so without changing the entire theme.
The separate customization options may also allow users to change the appearance of individual and group chats according to their preferences.
Message Bubble Colors May Adapt to the Selected Theme
The new chat theme system may also adjust message bubble colors according to the selected background and theme. WhatsApp may select a color that keeps messages readable within the chat.
Users may also receive an option to manually change the message bubble color, providing additional control over the chat design. However, the final options for automatic color adjustment and manual customization will only become clear after the official update.
Feature Is Currently Limited to Android Beta Users
The new WhatsApp themes and wallpapers feature is currently being tested with a limited number of Android beta users. This means that the feature may not immediately appear for every beta user.
WhatsApp has not yet officially announced the global stable rollout of the update. Therefore, there is currently no confirmed information about when the feature will become available to general users. According to reports, if testing is successful, the company may make the feature available to more users in the future.
