As we step closer to the New Year, WhatsApp has started rolling out a set of small but noticeable features that are setting the tone for the New Year. Instead of one big feature drop, the platform is adding visual touches that make chats and status updates feel a little more celebratory as 2026 approaches.
From animated New Year stickers to layout-based elements for Status, here’s everything that’s new.
New 2026 sticker pack arrives on WhatsApp
WhatsApp has released a dedicated Happy New Year / 2026 sticker pack, which includes multiple animated stickers designed around greetings, celebrations, and the transition into the new year. The sticker pack is lightweight in size but visually rich, thanks to animations built using the Lottie framework.
If you don’t see the pack yet, updating WhatsApp from the Play Store or App Store should make it available. Once updated, the stickers can be used across individual chats, group chats, channels, and even Status updates, keeping the experience consistent everywhere.
Confetti-style emoji reactions
Alongside stickers, WhatsApp is also experimenting with a seasonal emoji reaction effect, WabetaInfo reported. When you react with certain celebration-related emojis, a confetti animation briefly appears on screen. This visual effect is purely decorative and doesn’t change how reactions work. The animation shows up across chats, channels, and Status reactions, and is expected to remain available only for a limited festive period.
New layout options for Status updates
Another interesting addition is focused on Status layouts. Some users, especially Android beta testers, are now seeing a 2026-themed layout icon inside the Status creation screen. This layout option highlights New Year-themed design elements and encourages users to add the 2026 sticker while creating Status posts. Layouts are useful for combining multiple photos or videos into a single update, making it easier to post year-end memories in one place.
At the moment, the layout-specific 2026 sticker appears to be limited to select users, but a wider rollout is expected in the coming days.
