WhatsApp to unveil new chat animations update

California: WhatsApp, owned by Meta, is working on a new feature that will give users more control over autoplay for animated images, such as emojis, stickers, and avatars. This feature is expected to be available in a future update.

The aim is to allow users to disable animations for specific elements like emojis, stickers, and GIFs directly through the app's settings, providing a more customized chat experience.

According to WABetaInfo, this feature will allow users to manage animations for different content types individually, offering greater control than previous versions.

With this update, animated emojis, stickers, and GIFs will remain static unless the user interacts with them.

For example, if autoplay is disabled for emojis, animated ones will appear as still images. The same applies to animated stickers and GIFs, which will not move unless manually played by the user.

Ultimately, this feature aims to reduce distractions and allow users to personalize their WhatsApp experience by managing the behavior of animations within their chats and groups.