WhatsApp’s Liquid Glass redesign on iPhone now extends into active chats, including the composer, menus, and message bubbles.
WhatsApp is rolling out a broader Liquid Glass redesign on iPhone that now reaches active chats, not just the app’s tabs and chat list. In live conversations, the message composer now floats above the thread with a frosted translucent look, while long-press actions use glass-styled menus instead of the older opaque blur. Message bubbles are rounder, shared photos and videos look borderless, and the rollout is gradual through standard App Store updates on compatible iOS devices. The change is visual only, so iPhone users should expect a different chat interface rather than new messaging tools.
Liquid Glass moves into active iPhone chats
The biggest change is where WhatsApp applies the redesign. Liquid Glass had already shown up in parts of the iPhone app such as tabs and the chat list, but it now extends into the chat screen itself. That means the most frequently used part of WhatsApp on iPhone, the live conversation view, is getting the same styling treatment as the rest of the app.
The composer is one of the clearest examples. Instead of sitting as a more solid bar anchored to the bottom of the screen, it now appears to float above the conversation with a frosted translucent treatment. The top navigation bar follows the same approach, letting wallpaper and even scrolled chat content show through the interface. For people who spend most of their time jumping between customer threads or team conversations, the practical effect is a chat screen that feels more layered and visually open, even though the underlying messaging actions stay the same.
Menus, bubbles, and media get the same treatment
The redesign is not limited to the top and bottom of the chat view. Long-press actions now open a glass-styled reaction tray and context menu, replacing the older opaque blur effect that covered more of the conversation. That keeps more of the chat visible while reacting to a message or opening in-chat actions, which should make message review feel a little less interrupted.
WhatsApp has also changed the shape and framing of content inside the thread. Message bubbles are rounder than before, and shared photos and videos no longer carry the same framed presentation, instead appearing borderless in the conversation. Together, those changes give chats a less boxed-in look and make the redesign feel consistent across the composer, menus, bubbles, and media rather than like a partial visual refresh.
Gradual App Store rollout on compatible iPhones
Availability is still the main practical limit. WhatsApp is distributing the redesign through normal App Store updates, but it is not landing for every iPhone user at once. The rollout is gradual and limited at first to compatible iOS devices, so some users may update the app and still not see the new chat-screen treatment immediately.
What users should not expect is a new messaging feature hidden inside the visual refresh. This rollout changes the look of the composer, navigation bar, long-press menus, message bubbles, and media presentation, but it does not add new messaging capability. For businesses and operators who run WhatsApp workflows on iPhone, the immediate impact is on everyday readability and navigation inside chats, not on how messages are sent, organized, or automated.
Disclaimer: This article was created with the assistance of AI. Images are for illustrative purposes only.
About the author
Samarth Agrawal is an AI and technology professional who writes about WhatsApp, automation, and emerging AI trends. He focuses on simplifying complex tech updates into practical insights for businesses, creators, and everyday users
