WhatsApp is working on a new feature for the app that will allow users to select a default theme for the app. This theme will be independent of the theme setting of the phone. Till now, the WhatsApp theme is in sync with the default theme of the phone. So if the device is on dark theme, the app also turns dark, and if the phone’s setting is on a light theme, then WhatsApp also runs the same theme. However, with the upcoming features, users will be able to customise the theme for the app individually.
The feature is still in beta and was spotted by WABetaInfo. It is part of the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.18.6 update. There is no timeline when this feature will roll out to the stable version. However, users running WhatsApp on the beta version should now be able to see the feature in settings.
WABetaInfo has also shared a screenshot of the upcoming features. With the feature rolling out, WhatsApp will likely get a fresh look by updating its signature green colour across two distinct themes. In the light theme, the familiar green will be replaced with black, lending the app a sleek, modern, and minimalist appearance. On the other hand, in the dark theme, the primary colour will switch to white, creating a bold contrast that not only enhances readability but also adds a contemporary edge to the app’s overall aesthetic.
A similar feature was also spotted last month. WhatsApp was reported to be developing chat themes that allow iPhone users to choose from five preset colours for their chat bubbles and wallpaper, including classic green, white, blue, pink, and purple.. Additionally, WhatsApp is reportedly working on a feature to change the app’s accent colour, offering the same color choices as the chat themes, allowing for customisable in-app buttons. While these features aren’t publicly available yet, their presence in beta indicates a potential upcoming release.
In April this year, WhatsApp started to go green. No, not in the environmental preservation kind of a way. The text, bubbles and accent on the app all turned green. For iPhone users, in particular, this just happened overnight. It was not a change users asked for, and there was quite a bit of conversation around it on social media.
These new customisation options could position WhatsApp more favourably against competitors like Telegram, which already offers a variety of personalisation features. By providing users with greater control over the app’s appearance, WhatsApp seems to be aiming to attract and retain those who prioritise a personalised messaging experience.
WhatsApp is introducing a significant privacy feature designed to address one of the platform’s most persistent issues–spam. The new feature, available in the beta version 2.24.18.2 for Android, introduces a Username PIN system aimed at improving user security and curbing unwanted messages, according to GSM Arena. This new functionality allows WhatsApp users to set a four-digit PIN in addition to their username.
The PIN serves as an extra layer of security, ensuring that users who have not interacted with you previously cannot send you messages solely by knowing your username.
This measure is expected to significantly reduce spam and enhance privacy for WhatsApp users, according to GSM Arena. “Once implemented, this feature should greatly cut down on spam, which has been a prevalent issue on WhatsApp,” said a spokesperson for the company, according to GSM Arena.