WhatsApp tests new message‑animation feature for iPhone in beta

WhatsApp is re‑introducing animated message bubbles to its iPhone app in a limited TestFlight beta. The animation shows each chat bubble growing slightly before settling into place, and users can toggle it on or off via Settings → Chats → Animations. The same animation option appeared a week earlier in the Android beta and is now being tested on iOS. The feature is currently available only to a small group of beta testers, and Meta has not announced when it will roll out to the broader public.

The addition restores a visual effect that was removed from the iOS version in a previous update, and it offers a separate switch for controlling animations of emojis, stickers, and GIFs as well.