WhatsApp rolls out animated stickers for all: Here is how to use them

Days after announcing new features, WhatsApp has rolled out animated stickers for users. The packs are now appearing alongside the normal sticker packs on the app.  “Animated stickers are available now,” WhatsApp said in a tweet. 

The animated stickers are available for users of both Android and iOS platforms along with the desktop version. 

Users can find the stickers option at the end of the screen. Click on the plus icon when you find it as that will take to you to the Stickers Store. The Sticker Store includes several sticker packs that you can add to your WhatsApp chats just by downloading them. To download these packs, click on the download icon and also preview the stickers by tapping on them.

These stickers show up in the desktop app once the sticker is downloaded on mobile.

These animated stickers will play just once in the chat, and don't loop indefinitely. If you want to trigger their animation, you will have to scroll up and down to play it.

Earlier, WhatsApp Business, the communication platform's business version, launched two new ways for users to connect with businesses- QR Codes and Catalog sharing. People simply can scan the QR code a business displays on its storefront, product packaging or receipt to initiate a chat.  

Scanning a QR code will open a chat with an optional pre-populated message created by the business to start the conversation. With the app’s messaging tools, businesses can quickly send information such as their catalog to get the conversation going. To start using QR codes, businesses can follow these quick steps.

Globally, more than 50 million WhatsApp Business app users use the facility every month.

WhatsApp is also expanding its Catalog feature, which it launched in India in January.

Catalog is a mobile storefront for businesses to display and share goods or products they are selling, for people to easily browse and discover.