WhatsApp is giving one of its most striking visual twists of recent years with the arrival of his new Liquid Glass designThe messaging app is gradually abandoning the flat, traditional interface that had been practically frozen for some time and adopting a much more modern style, with transparency, depth, and layering effects.
This change does not introduce new features, but it does It profoundly changes how the app looks and feels on a daily basis.For now, the rollout is focusing on iPhone users in Europe and the rest of the world, especially those who have the app updated to the latest version available on the App Store, although the activation rate is gradual and not everyone sees the new look yet.
What exactly is WhatsApp's Liquid Glass design?
Liquid Glass is the name by which it is known new visual language that WhatsApp is launching on iOS, inspired by aesthetic introduced by Apple in its latest system versions (iOS 16 / iOS 26). The idea is that the interface will no longer be an opaque block but will instead resemble a set of translucent glass layers floating above the content.
The app is betting on semi-transparent elements, frosted glass effects and a sense of three-dimensionalityMenus, bars, and buttons are no longer simple solid-colored rectangles, but instead display soft reflections, background blurs, and smoother animations when interacting with them.
This approach is reminiscent of the general trend in mobile operating systems in recent years: More dynamic interfaces, with subtle movement and greater integration with the backgroundIn practice, the different sections of WhatsApp now appear to be placed in several overlapping layers, creating a more immersive experience.
In addition, Liquid Glass adapts automatically both the iPhone's light and dark modes, trying to maintain visual consistency throughout the system: if you change the device theme, WhatsApp adjusts its transparencies, shadows, and colors to that environment.
How WhatsApp changes internally with Liquid Glass
The redesign is not limited to a slight facelift: It affects several key elements of the interface.Although the functions remain the same, the way they are presented and perceived has changed considerably for those who already have the new appearance active.
One of the areas where the leap is most noticeable is the bottom tab barThis is where sections like Chats, News, Communities, and Settings are grouped. Previously a solid, fixed strip, it's now a semi-transparent element that appears to float above the chat list, with softer edges and a design much more integrated with the background.
The buttons and context menus have also been redesigned using this language. They adopt a crystal-like finish.with subtle blurring that reveals glimpses of the background content and very subtle reflections. When you press and hold on a chat or open a menu, the transition is smoother and the overall tactile feel is somewhat lighter than in the previous version.
The sense of depth is another key element. The app now appears to be organized into different visual layers.: one for the background, another for chats, another for the bottom bar, another for pop-up menus… In this way, when you scroll or open a panel, a kind of spatial hierarchy is noticeable that was not so marked in the previous flat design.
Even the keyboard has been changed to fit with this aesthetic. The WhatsApp keyboard on iPhone has a more modern and consistent look with Liquid Glass.with less aggressive edges and small transparencies that integrate it better with the rest of the screen, whether you use light or dark mode.
Who can already use the new WhatsApp design
Although there is already talk of a global rollout, Liquid Glass has not yet been activated for all users at the same timeWhatsApp usually opts for this type of staggered release to avoid performance problems and to first test the reaction of a large group of people before making the final leap.
In Europe and Spain, the change is arriving noticeably earlier for those who have iPhone with recent versions of iOS and WhatsApp updated to version 26.14.76 or higher from the App Store. However, even meeting these requirements, some accounts still use the old interface, as the company enables the redesign from its own servers.
If you use Android, the scenario is different for now: The rollout is clearly focused on the Apple ecosystemGiven that the design relies heavily on the effects and visual language introduced by iOS, a future adaptation for other systems is not out of the question, but for now, the focus is on compatible iPhones.
Some WhatsApp beta or test accounts receive the changes before the rest. This explains why friends with the same mobile phone model can have a different appearance in the app.In fact, during the last few months it has been common to see comments on social media from users complaining about not yet having the "new WhatsApp", despite having updated the application.
In practice, the process is simple: There is no button to manually turn Liquid Glass on or off.You can only keep the app up to date from the app store and wait for WhatsApp to enable the new interface on your account.
How to know if Liquid Glass is already active
To check if your account is already part of the group enjoying the new design, The bottom tab bar is the clearest indicatorIt is the element where the change is first noticeable and where it is easiest to distinguish between the old and current interface.
In the classic version, the bottom bar appears as a opaque rectangle, usually white or very solid in colorWithout transparency effects or a floating sensation above the content, Liquid Glass, however, takes on a semi-transparent tone with more rounded edges and the impression of being suspended above the chat list.
If when scrolling through your conversations You can vaguely sense the background or messages through the bottom barThis indicates that the redesign is enabled. Additionally, the selected tab icon blends better with the surrounding color, and transitions between sections now feature smoother, more refined animations.
Other visual details that betray the presence of Liquid Glass are the contextual menus with a glass effect and a keyboard that looks less "heavy"with smoother transitions when opening or closing. Everything fits into an aesthetic of overlapping layers, where nothing seems completely static.
If you continue to see the bottom bar as completely solid and the menus as flat, it doesn't mean there's a problem with your device: Your account simply hasn't entered the activation round yet.In this scenario, there's little else you can do other than keep the app updated and wait for the rollout to reach you.
Why is WhatsApp changing its design and what impact will it have?
For years, WhatsApp's interface remained virtually unchanged, with A functional design, but somewhat stagnant compared to other mobile applications. that had already made the leap to cleaner, lighter aesthetics that were more consistent with modern operating systems.
With Liquid Glass, the company seeks better align with current visual standards from iOS and compete in appearance with other messaging and social media platforms that clearly prioritize polished interfaces. It's not so much about adding new buttons as it is about updating the packaging in which the existing options are presented.
From a practical point of view, The user experience remains unchanged in terms of features.Messages, voice notes, photos, and videos are sent just as before, and the app's overall structure remains the same. What should be improved is the perceived lightness, visual clarity, and ease of locating elements on the screen thanks to greater differentiation through layers.
This redesign also fits with a general trend in the sector: Big apps no longer compete solely on tools, but also on visual experienceThe appearance of an application influences the feeling of quality, how comfortable it is to spend time in it, and ultimately, whether a user perceives it as modern or outdated.
However, not everyone welcomes the change with the same enthusiasm. Some users have expressed doubts about the impact of transparencies on readability.especially when the background is very busy or when certain wallpapers are used for chats, something that has already been seen with similar effects in recent versions of iOS.
Performance, safety, and potential problems of the new design
One of the recurring questions when such a significant change appears is whether or not it affects the application's security. In this case, the answer is clear: Liquid Glass is a purely aesthetic redesignIt does not modify end-to-end encryption, privacy policies, or the way data is managed.
WhatsApp continues to operate under the same conditions. information protection and encryption standards than before the change. What may vary slightly is the performance on some devices, especially on older models that have less graphics capacity to handle transparency effects in real time.
That's why the company opts for a phased and staggered deploymentThis strategy allows for gradual monitoring of the app's behavior, detecting potential visual bugs, minor animation stutters, or compatibility issues with certain system configurations.
In this phase of progressive expansion, it is possible to encounter Minor errors, such as animations that don't play completely smoothlyThere might be some abrupt color changes or elements that haven't yet been adapted to the new language and still retain the old appearance. These are details that are usually polished in subsequent updates.
Users who prioritize absolute clarity over effects tend to be somewhat more critical of these types of redesigns. But you can always adjust part of the experience from the system's accessibility settings.reducing transparency or movement if preferred. In any case, the core of the messaging service remains intact.
WhatsApp's new Liquid Glass design marks a significant change in how we view one of the most used apps in Europe and Spain: Without altering how it works, it updates its appearance to bring it closer to the current visual language of iOS.It introduces transparency, depth, and a more eye-catching floating bottom bar, and it's doing so through a gradual rollout that will reach more accounts over the coming weeks. Those who haven't yet activated it will have to be patient; when it arrives, the app will still be the same, but with a much more modern look.
