The messaging app is trialling five theme categories and separate wallpaper controls in its latest Android beta, letting selected testers customise each conversation's look, though there is still no confirmed date for a wider release.
WhatsApp has begun testing a redesigned set of chat themes on Android, offering some beta users more ways to change how individual conversations look. The feature appears in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.37.6 and is currently limited to a select group of testers, with broader access expected as testing continues.
The update introduces five theme categories: Featured, Nature, Live, Minimal and Doodle. Featured pulls together chosen designs from the other groups, while Nature is built around outdoor scenes. Live offers wallpapers with slow, subtle animation, Minimal sticks to simple designs, and Doodle carries the illustrated pattern WhatsApp has used in earlier versions.
These are the same five categories the company previously rolled out on iPhone. WhatsApp has been bringing its redesigned customisation options to both platforms in stages.
Wallpapers now stand alone
WhatsApp is also separating wallpapers from the main theme settings. Users can choose a wallpaper without applying a full theme, which gives them finer control over the look of each chat.
Wallpaper choices include styles such as Vibrant and Gradient, and users can also select an image from their phone's gallery. AI-generated wallpapers are supported as well.
Message bubble colours adjust automatically to match the chosen theme and wallpaper. Where WhatsApp makes the setting available, users can also change the bubble colour themselves.
Limited rollout, no release date
Access remains restricted to the beta programme. Installing version 2.26.37.6 does not guarantee the new themes will show up, because WhatsApp is switching them on for selected accounts during the rollout. The company has not confirmed when a wider Android release will happen.
The change does not alter how chats function. Its focus is personalisation, which may appeal most to people who want different backgrounds or colour combinations across their various conversations.
