WhatsApp gets a design makeover with new colour palette, icons, and more

Now rolling out to Android and iOS platforms, the WhatsApp redesign features more neutral colours and features rounded in-app icons and illustrations

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Meta-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp has been through a design makeover and the redesigned version is now rolling out to Android and iOS platforms. Meta said that the new design makes the messaging platform look fresh, approachable, and adds to its simplicity. The update brings new icons and illustrations, a new colour palette, improved navigation, and more. Check the details below:

WhatsApp: New colour palette

Instead of a blue and green mix, the redesigned WhatsApp has a consistent green palette that the company said offers a unified experience. Meta said that the new colour within the app aligns with WhatsApp green logo and the new palette allows synchronised colour pairing throughout the app.

Moreover, Meta said, the redesigned app uses more neutral colours and the company has been selective about where the green colour is used. Additionally, WhatsApp gets a darker “Dark Mode”. For reference, the app has been using a shade of dark grey colour in dark mode on some platforms. The company said that the Dark Mode has higher contrast and deeper tones to reduce eye strain in low-light environments.

WhatsApp Dark Mode

New icons and illustrations

WhatsApp said that the icons within the app are now more rounded and that it has refreshed illustrations to match the new icons. WhatsApp has added new animations as well that it said gives the app a more “playful aesthetic”. The default chat background within the app gets a redesign too with new doodles.

Navigation

WhatsApp now comes with a new bottom navigation bar on the Android app. The company said that this layout offers faster navigation as the tabs are closer to the user's thumb, enabling single hand use.

The iOS app gets a new attachment layout for sharing pictures and videos. Instead of a full screen menu, the app gets an expandable tray that the company said allows users to see available features more clearly when sending media, polls, documents, and more.

Chat management

WhatsApp recently rolled out chat filters to locate and access important chats more efficiently. With chat filters on WhatsApp, users can now choose between three filters – all, unread, and groups. With the navigation bar now moved to the bottom of the screen, the filters now appear at the top of the inbox on both iOS and Android apps.

A summary of all new user interface updates on WhatsApp (WhatsApp)