WhatsApp Tests Visual Customisation and Web Voice Calls

WhatsApp appears to be laying the groundwork for a broader evolution of its product, one that goes beyond secure messaging and into personalisation and cross-platform parity.

Recent beta findings suggest that the Meta-owned service is experimenting with two parallel changes: giving users more control over how the app looks and reducing its dependence on mobile apps by expanding what WhatsApp Web can do on its own.

Taken together, the updates point to a subtle but meaningful shift in how WhatsApp wants users to experience the platform across devices.

Customisation Moves From the Margins to the Core App

In WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.6.1, early development work shows the company testing deeper visual customisation options inside the app itself.

The changes include new theme colours, adjustable accent colours and a broader range of app icons, features that have traditionally been left to device-level theming or third-party launchers. If rolled out publicly, this would mark a change in WhatsApp’s long-standing approach of maintaining a largely uniform look.

The beta reportedly includes 14 alternative app icons. These range from single-colour designs, such as blue, green, pink, orange and purple, to more stylised options labelled Aurora, Galaxy, Clay and Neon. Users may also be able to revert to a classic icon design that was phased out in earlier updates.

Alongside icons, WhatsApp is testing branding colour controls, with up to 19 colour options influencing interface elements such as tabs, buttons and filters. The intent appears to be consistency across the interface, rather than isolated cosmetic tweaks.

While these features are still under development, they suggest WhatsApp is responding to growing expectations around personalisation, especially as rival platforms increasingly treat design choice as part of the user experience, not an afterthought.

A Possible Premium Layer, Without Touching Core Messaging

Reports linked to the beta indicate that these visual enhancements could eventually be tied to a premium subscription tier. Importantly, there is no indication that core messaging, calling or encryption features would move behind a paywall.

Instead, the approach appears to mirror a broader industry pattern: keeping essential communication free while offering optional upgrades for users who want more control or customisation.

For WhatsApp, which has historically avoided visible monetisation on the consumer side, even optional paid features would represent a careful recalibration rather than a sharp pivot.

WhatsApp Web Edges Closer to a Full-Fledged Client

In parallel with design changes on mobile, WhatsApp is also testing voice and video calling directly within web browsers.

Currently rolling out in limited testing, the feature adds dedicated call buttons inside individual chats on WhatsApp Web. This would allow users to place voice or video calls without installing a desktop application.

Early indications suggest support for screen sharing and continued end-to-end encryption, maintaining the security model used across WhatsApp’s other calling features.

The update is particularly relevant for users on platforms such as Linux, where desktop app options have been limited. More broadly, it signals WhatsApp’s intent to treat the browser not as a companion interface but as a capable endpoint in its own right.

Viewed together, the beta features highlight a platform adjusting to how people now use messaging services: across devices, across contexts, and with higher expectations around both usability and control.

Rather than introducing headline-grabbing features, WhatsApp appears to be refining the foundations: how the app looks, where it can be used, and how seamlessly it fits into daily workflows.

The rollout timeline for both the customisation tools and web calling features remains unclear. But their presence in active testing suggests WhatsApp is preparing for a future where messaging is not just about sending messages, but about offering a flexible, consistent experience wherever users log in.