WhatsApp is testing a redesigned floating navigation bar for Android with rounded corners, a detached layout and possible Meta AI integration. The update is currently under development with no confirmed public rollout date.
WhatsApp is preparing another visual change for its Android app, and this time the focus is on one of the most important parts of the interface: the navigation bar.
The company is working on a redesigned bottom navigation bar that looks more floating, with rounded corners and a layout that sits separately from the rest of the screen.
The redesign was not announced as a completed feature through a public WhatsApp launch.
Instead, users discovered the change through WhatsApp's development and beta ecosystem.
WhatsApp feature tracker WABetaInfo reported that the company was working on a redesigned bottom navigation bar for Android.
The report identified the feature as under development and showed the new floating-style interface.
Additional reports linked the redesign to WhatsApp beta version 2.26.38.10 for Android.
This is how many WhatsApp interface changes become known before an official announcement: researchers and feature trackers examine beta builds, identify interface elements that aren't yet publicly enabled, and report what they find.
The bottom bar is completely detached from the bottom edge of the screen.
It sits slightly higher, appearing as an isolated standalone element.
The bar loses its sharp, rectangular shape and gains heavily rounded edges, forming a sleek, pill-shaped container.
It still houses the core shortcuts for Chats, Updates, Communities, and Calls, but with a cleaner look and better visibility for the active tab.
The new design supports both light and dark modes, though testers note the floating aesthetic currently stands out most vividly in light mode.
The current development also appears to connect the redesign with Meta AI.
Instead of relying mainly on a floating shortcut, Meta AI could get a dedicated spot in the navigation bar.
Unlike the iPhone's 'Liquid Glass' redesign, WhatsApp is not adding a translucent effect to the Android version to keep the app properly aligned with Google's default Material Design conventions.
WhatsApp's current Android design has faced growing criticism from users who want a fresher, sleeker aesthetic.
The current flat, pinned bar feels outdated compared to contemporary mobile UI styles.
In the current version, the Meta AI shortcut floats awkwardly above the "New Chat" button.
By pulling it into the new floating navigation bar, Meta embeds its AI assistant as a core, unmissable pillar of the application layout alongside Chats and Calls.
Mobile screens keep growing, so keeping vital tabs in a compact, slightly elevated floating bar makes the app much easier to navigate with just a thumb.
While the new layout shares ideas with the iOS version, WhatsApp is deliberately adapting it to respect Google's Material Design guidelines rather than cloning the iPhone app.
There is currently no confirmed release date for this new floating interface.
Because the redesign was spotted in internal development, it has multiple stages before it reaches users.
The feature will first be turned on for a limited group of users enrolled in the Google Play Beta Program.
Once Meta gathers feedback and fixes bugs from the beta phase, it will roll out the floating navigation bar globally to standard app users via a regular Google Play Store update.
The floating navigation bar, rounded design and possible Meta AI integration offer a glimpse of how WhatsApp could reorganise its Android interface as the app continues adding new services and features.
For now, users will have to wait for further beta testing and an eventual official rollout before knowing exactly what the finished redesign will look like.
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