WhatsApp Could Be Getting a Bottom Navigation Bar for Android

WhatsApp's Android version might be getting a much-awaited feature soon.

The company behind the popular, secure instant messaging app recently rolled out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program that brought a bottom navigation bar for developers to further improve for future testing by the app's beta testers.

The navigation bar is already available for WhatsApp's iOS version for quite some time; the upcoming WhatsApp bottom navigation bar could have similar features to its iOS counterpart.

WhatsApp Bottom Navigation Bar Test Details

WhatsApp users, particularly those who use its Android version, have been requesting such a feature for quite some time. According to WABetaInfo, users felt that the current interface was outdated and not as user-friendly as it could have been, leading them to ask for a more modern and intuitive way of navigating WhatsApp's Android version to access important features and functions easily, similar to its iOS version.

Thankfully, WhatsApp listened and added a bottom navigation bar in its latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.8.4 update, along with a tweaked interface. The app's new bottom navigation bar provides the same function and features as its iOS counterpart: it gives Android users a quick and easily accessible way to switch between their chats, communities, status, and calls.

According to MS Power User, WhatsApp's Android version offers quick access to calls, chats, and status options through swiping actions, while they appear at the top portion of the app; communities are accessed through the three-dot view option. As a result, the addition of the bottom navigation bar and the tweaked user interface to WhatsApp's Android version made it more easily navigated than its current iteration.

It also makes WhatsApp's two apps more consistent across different platforms; users switching between iOS and Android platforms found the app's user interface confusing after doing so. Additionally, the bottom navigation bar's addition brings WhatsApp's Android version on par with Google's Material You design philosophy, per Android Police.

Unfortunately, the bottom navigation bar for WhatsApp's Android version is unavailable to the public as of press time; WABetaInfo mentioned that the feature is still under development and not ready to be released to beta testers. However, the feature is expected to be included in a future update for the app, though it is unknown when the update containing the bottom navigation app will arrive to Android users.

WhatsApp's New And Upcoming Features

WhatsApp's new bottom navigation bar for Android is not the only feature the app recently received. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of WhatsApp's parent company, Meta, announced in late March that group chat admins in WhatsApp now have new tools to use to decide who can or cannot join a group.

Zuckerberg added that the app also received a feature that lets users easily know which groups they have in common with someone in a community.

Aside from that, WhatsApp is also testing a new feature that allows users to set expiration dates on group chats, providing more convenience to users who previously have to manually delete group chats they've forgotten over time. However, it is unknown if the remaining people in the group chat would still be notified about the person leaving if they set an expiration date for the group chat they are members of.