WhatsApp rolls out festive features for holiday season and New Year

WhatsApp has unveiled a set of limited-time features to celebrate the holiday season and New Year, enhancing how users connect and share during the festivities. These updates will be available globally starting December 20 to January 3.

Among the key additions is NYE Calling Effects, which brings themed backgrounds, filters, and effects to video calls, offering a festive touch to virtual celebrations. This feature is designed to make New Year’s gatherings more vibrant and engaging.

The platform has also introduced Animated Reactions, where confetti animations accompany message reactions, adding a playful element to chats. For those who enjoy visual messaging, WhatsApp has launched a special New Year sticker pack, featuring creative designs and avatar stickers to share greetings and heartfelt messages with friends and family.

In preparation for the festive season, WhatsApp recently upgraded its audio and video calling capabilities. Users can now select specific participants for group calls, making it easier to plan surprise events or private discussions. The app has also expanded its library of video call effects, including options like puppy ears, a karaoke microphone, and underwater filters, providing users with entertaining ways to personalize their calls.

Additionally, WhatsApp has improved video call quality by introducing higher-resolution visuals, ensuring clearer communication for both one-on-one and group calls.

WhatsApp encourages users to update their app to access these limited-time features, which aim to make holiday interactions more fun and memorable.

Following a year of innovations designed to make communication more engaging and versatile, these festive updates reflect WhatsApp’s continued efforts to enhance user experience.