WhatsApp rolls out bottom navigation tabs on all Android smartphones

WhatsApp is now introducing a remarkable user interface change for the app on Android smartphones. The Meta-owned messaging service has announced that it has moved the four navigation tabs at the top of the screen to the bottom. The updated visual interface was enabled in the beta version of the app for the past few months and is now being enabled for all users. The new design will also make it easier for users to switch between tabs while using the phone with one hand.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp announced the launch of the new bottom navigation bar on Android. The service posted images of the older interface, which had four tabs — Communities, Chats, Status, and Calls — above the list of chats. With the latest update, users will see these tabs moved to the bottom along with the icons, while the row can be rearranged.

It’s one of the most notable changes to WhatsApp’s Android interface in a while, and it puts the app’s main navigation tabs at your thumb’s reach — especially handy if you only have one hand free. However, if you want to search for something, you’ll still have to reach to the top of the screen. WhatsApp for iOS also shows the tabs at the bottom of the screen — there’s a fifth one for the settings menu.

While the bottom navigation tabs may finally be rolling out to users after months of beta channel testing, WhatsApp is busy developing more features that could make their way to the app in the future. The messaging service is reportedly developing the ability to make international payments through the app using NPCI’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in India.

The messaging service is also working on adding new AI-powered features to the app. WhatsApp is developing a feature that will allow users to provide text prompts to create stickers using artificial intelligence (AI) in the app. Similarly, WhatsApp was recently spotted developing AI-powered image editing features and a Meta AI question-asking feature through WhatsApp’s search bar. These features are yet to be rolled out for both stable and beta WhatsApp users.