WhatsApp Update Adds Custom Wallpapers for Individual Chats, Sticker Search, and More

WhatsApp has released a major update to its iPhone app that brings unlimited custom wallpapers to individuals chats for the first time.

whatsapp wallpapers 1
The new ability to set custom wallpapers for different chats is an effort to make it easier for users to distinguish and identify them in the blink of an eye. WhatsApp says there's no limit on the number of custom wallpapers users can assign to different chats.

"Your WhatsApp chats hold a special place in your life, which is why we're introducing custom chat wallpapers. Make your chats personal and distinguishable by using a custom wallpaper for your most important chats and favorite people, and you never need worry about sending the wrong message in the wrong chat ever again."

WhatsApp is also rolling out the current default "doodle" wallpaper in more colors, and significantly increasing the selection of wallpapers with more images of nature and architecture from around the world.

Notably, users can now also set a separate wallpaper which activates when their phone switches from light to dark mode.

In addition to the new wallpaper options, WhatsApp says it is making it easier to quickly search and find stickers with text or emoji and browse through common categories. The update includes new sticker packs, too, including The World Health Organization's "Together at Home" animated stickers.

WhatsApp Messenger is a free download for ‌iPhone‌ from the App Store [Direct Link].

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Top Rated Comments

zoker715 Avatar
64 months ago
iPad Support Already!

Rest is USELESS!
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ikir Avatar
64 months ago
Technically a nightmare. Local DB getting huge, DB corruption, no cross platform backup, still client based and not cloud.... terrible. Switch to Telegram already even if its CEO is an Apple hater.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
diogodasilva Avatar
64 months ago
I don't understand how this app is so widely used. Local DB is a mess, hugely demands local storage, more often then not the backup is trash, not to mention battery hog. Easily the most energy inefficient app on the whole platform.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Steve121178 Avatar
64 months ago

Telegram is Russia-backed... no thanks. It’s also not happening tbf. Whatsapp has reached critical mass long time ago.
Wrong.

The CEO is Russian but is a strong privacy advocate and has fought many battles with the Russian authorities.

The Russian Government even banned Telegram for over 2 years in the country until June of this year.

Telegram is vastly superior to Whatsapp, but Whatsapp is the 'standard' unfortunately.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
orbital~debris Avatar
64 months ago
I try to avoid using WhatsApp wherever possible (facebook, plus it just feels uncomfortable on iOS), but knowing the chat wallpaper has been a feature for years I’m completely surprised it’s only now being implemented in the way I’d presumed it was all along – i.e. to be useful to tell conversations apart!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Marbles1 Avatar
64 months ago
Hilarious that WhatsApp desktop still requires 'tethering' to WhatsApp on a phone in order to work. Proof that having the best tech doesn't make you the dominant player.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)