Summary: WhatsApp is working on a redesigned bottom navigation bar for its Android app. It was spotted in a recent beta update, the new design features a floating bar with rounded corners, similar to the tab bar already available on the iOS version of the app. The feature is still under development and not yet available to beta testers.
WhatsApp’s Android app may soon get a visual refresh that brings it closer to how the iOS version looks. The messaging app is testing a new floating bottom navigation bar on Android, replacing the current flat design with one that has rounded corners and sits separately from the rest of the interface.
WhatsApp Android Could Get a Floating Navigation Bar Like iOS
The change was spotted by WABetaInfo in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.38.10. The new bar looks similar to the floating tab bar that WhatsApp introduced on iOS earlier this year as part of Apple’s Liquid Glass redesign.
Both versions share the floating look and rounded edges, but WhatsApp is not expected to bring the same translucent glass effect to Android. The Android app follows its own design language, so the final version will likely look different from the iOS one in terms of visual effects.
This is the first major change to the Android navigation bar in years. The timing is notable. Shortly before this discovery, WABetaInfo had shared a post on X about the state of WhatsApp’s Android design. Many users responded asking for a more modern look. WhatsApp hasn’t confirmed whether the feedback played a role, but it fits the pattern of recent updates. The app has already introduced chat themes and new accent colors through WhatsApp Plus on Android over the past few weeks.
The redesigned navigation bar is still under development and has not been enabled for beta testers yet. WhatsApp could make further changes before it rolls out more widely, and there is no timeline for when it will be available to everyone.
