WhatsApp beta tests Liquid Glass redesign for reactions and more
▼ Summary
– WhatsApp is continuing to expand its Liquid Glass redesign on iOS, with recent TestFlight builds showing updates to message reactions and context menus.
– The Liquid Glass design language was first tested on the bottom navigation bar and Chats tab after iOS 26, but the rollout remains very limited.
– Meta has been working on bringing Liquid Glass to the in-chat interface and voice message player in recent weeks.
– The updated message reactions and context menus aim to replace inconsistent, opaque appearances with a transparent, unified design.
– These changes are not yet available to beta testers, but their continued appearance in builds suggests an official rollout may be approaching.
WhatsApp continues to push forward with its Liquid Glass redesign for iOS, and the latest TestFlight beta build reveals that Meta is now working on updating message reactions and context menus. Here is what is changing and what it means for users.
The Liquid Glass aesthetic first appeared late last year after the release of iOS 26, when Meta tested the new look on the app’s bottom navigation bar and certain Chats tab elements. That initial rollout, however, was extremely limited, and most users still see the older, pre-Liquid Glass interface.
On TestFlight, Meta has kept experimenting. Recent beta builds showed the company bringing Liquid Glass to the in-chat interface, following an earlier overhaul of the voice message player. Now, according to WABetaInfo, Meta is preparing the same treatment for message reactions and context menus.
These updated elements are not yet available to beta testers, but WABetaInfo was able to activate them ahead of release. The site reports that the current reaction tray has a solid, opaque look, and while the context menu for the chat list was already refreshed with Liquid Glass, the menu for individual messages still uses a simpler background with limited transparency. This creates visual inconsistency across the app.
As with other unreleased features spotted in TestFlight, there is no confirmed timeline for when these changes will reach the App Store. Still, the steady appearance of new Liquid Glass references in beta builds signals that Meta is actively refining the redesign, and an official rollout may be coming sooner rather than later.
(Source: 9to5Mac)
