New WhatsApp Liquid Glass UI is now live for more iPhone users [U]

Update 28/05/26 – 09:28 am (IST): WhatsApp tracker WABetaInfo has revealed that Meta is already developing a “second version” of the Liquid Glass interface to address remaining design inconsistencies. While the current rollout updates the main tab bar and chat list context menus, the upcoming phase will bring full compatibility to the actual chat bar (input field), introducing modern translucent effects. Furthermore, the update will include dynamic visual shifts to the navigation bar within individual chat screens as users scroll through their conversations.

WhatsApp keeps refining the Liquid Glass design!

Over the past few weeks, WhatsApp has rolled out the new Liquid Glass interface to a large number of users. The update introduces a redesigned tab bar, new buttons, and an improved context menu within the chat list. However, this… pic.twitter.com/54ZaZ32nnj

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) May 27, 2026

Original article published on May 19, 2026, follows:

WhatsApp is finally pushing its long-awaited Liquid Glass redesign to a much wider group of iPhone users today. After months of highly restricted testing, Meta has opened the gates for people running iOS version 2.26.19.75.

The rollout brings a translucent bottom navigation bar and full integration with the new iOS 26 keyboard. The folks at 9to5Mac spotted the initial broader wave a few days ago. Now user reports have spiked significantly as the server-side switch flips for normal accounts.

Here’s a video shared on X for reference:

I got the Liquid Glass UI after updating to WhatsApp version 26.19.75. If you do not see the new design immediately, try force-closing the app and restarting your phone. This worked for me, as well as a few other Redditors who attempted it.

Here are the screenshots I took of the new UI:

People are definitely happy it is here, but the mood is a bit mixed. Some users are pretty annoyed that it took Meta nearly a year to implement a translucent filter. A post on another r/whatsapp thread pointed out that rival apps like Telegram adopted this look quietly ages ago.

Multiple reports on X show the update hitting devices globally. One user noted their interface just switched over on its own about 25 minutes after applying the app update.

This visual refresh arrives while the company is also looking to monetize its heavy user base. We recently covered the early release of WhatsApp Plus, and we also spotted surveys suggesting that the subscription could bundle AI features and extra storage in the future.

The Liquid Glass redesign is still not everywhere in the app. The voice message player and message reaction menus still use the old solid look for now. It is starting to look like Meta will patch those remaining elements over slowly in future minor updates.

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