WhatsApp has started testing its new notification bubble design in order to give the chat interface for iOS users a more modern and smooth appearance. This update, which was introduced with WhatsApp beta for iOS version 26.29.10.70, makes the corners of message bubbles more rounded and removes the frame structure in shared media documents.

This design change, which complements the Liquid Glass interface innovations introduced last month, brings the visual identity of the application closer to the contemporary messaging standards offered by Apple. This new interface, which is currently available to a limited number of beta testers, is expected to gradually spread to all iOS users in the coming weeks.

New Message Bubbles Offer a More Modern Look

WhatsApp is making a significant change in its chat interface design, which has remained stable for a long time. Announcement balloons with angular and obvious lines in the current version are replaced by a much more rounded and smooth transition form. While this change makes the application feel visually lighter, it brings with it an aesthetic approach similar to well-known messaging applications such as iMessage.

The new design brings the chat screen to a more contemporary and spacious appearance for the first time in years.

Media Files Are Moving to a Frameless Structure

Not only text balloons, but also shared photos, images and GIFs are affected by this update. The obvious frames around media documents in the old design are completely removed with the new version. In this way, media content is displayed more naturally, as if it were part of the chat flow.

Contextual Topics Preserved in Group Chats

Frameless design is not applicable in all cases. Small banners continue to appear in group chats or forwarded messages indicating the sender or the source of the message. Due to this technical requirement, frameless design is only partially used in these media contents and the content context is preserved.

Users Receive Design Change Gradually

WhatsApp delivers this aesthetic optimization to beta testers primarily via TestFlight. Although some users may observe this change in the stable version, the large-scale release process is planned to be completed within the next few weeks. The modernization process of the application aims to make the user experience more fluid.

What do you think of WhatsApp’s new round notification bubbles and frameless media view? If you believe this change will improve your chat experience, please share your ideas with us in the comments section below.