WhatsApp is testing a redesigned bottom navigation bar on Android, introducing a floating, rounded element that visually separates the app’s main tabs from the rest of the interface. The change was spotted in WhatsApp beta version 2.26.38.10, but it is not currently enabled for beta users.
The new bar retains quick access to WhatsApp’s core sections while shifting the emphasis toward a more stylized layout. It follows the 2024 move that placed Android navigation at the bottom of the screen, where Chats, Updates, Communities and Calls became easier to reach one-handed.
- A floating bottom navigation bar
- More heavily rounded corners
- Light Mode and Dark Mode variants
- A layout closer to WhatsApp’s iOS tab bar
- No prominent Liquid Glass-style translucency, at least in the current development version
The design appears to borrow the overall shape of WhatsApp’s iOS interface without duplicating its full visual treatment. WhatsApp has been adding iOS elements inspired by Liquid Glass, including floating bars and translucent surfaces, but the Android version currently stops short of the stronger glass-like effect.
The navigation experiment fits into a broader interface refresh that has also brought changes to message menus, chat bubbles and themes. As with other WhatsApp features found in development builds, the design may change before a wider test or public release, and Meta has not provided a rollout timetable.
