WhatsApp is making it easier for users to capture and customize their photos and videos

Whether you love sending selfies, capturing moments, or just making your chats more fun, four new features from WhatsApp will give you even more ways to personalize your messages and express yourself.

With over 2.95 billion active users worldwide, the popular instant messaging platform continues to innovate, adding fresh tools to enhance engagement and personalization.

One of the tools will allow users to customize their photos and videos right inside the app. When capturing a photo or video directly within a chat or group, you can now choose from over 30 creative effects, including filters and AI-generated backgrounds before you hit send. Using AI, the app can even replace the background in your photos with colourful designs, a feature reminiscent of those seen on platforms like Zoom and Google Meet.

While WhatsApp initially introduced 10 backgrounds for video calls last October, the new update expands this functionality to static photos and pre-recorded videos, significantly broadening its scope.

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Creating selfie stickers is another highlight of this update. Android users can tap the “Create Sticker” icon, snap a selfie, and instantly transform it into a sticker. This feature makes sharing reactions more fun and personalized. Plans are in place to bring this functionality to iOS users soon.

Additionally, WhatsApp now allows sharing entire sticker packs directly within chats. With just a tap, recipients can install the sticker pack to their app, making it easier to share and use custom packs with friends and family.

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The final addition is a faster way to react to messages, photos, and videos. By double-tapping a message, you can quickly add a reaction. The app also introduces a streamlined interface for browsing and selecting frequently used reactions, enhancing the efficiency of interactions.

These updates mark the beginning of an ambitious roadmap for WhatsApp in 2025. The company has promised even more exciting features in the coming months, staying true to its mission of delivering engaging, user-friendly tools.