WhatsApp has been testing its new colorful chat themes over the past year, and now it’s finally out of beta. This new addition finally adds a flair or color to the, otherwise monotonous, green shade of the messaging app. As a WhatsApp beta user, I’ve had the new Chat theme feature for about four months now. So, I can finally share why this colorful explosion means a big deal for the future of our favorite messaging app.
I Can Finally See Some Colors on WhatsApp
When I first saw it on WhatsApp, I was overjoyed, since the app I’d been using since 2012 now shows more hues than green. The option expands the color palette to include 20 different shades and 30 new wallpapers to pick from. It is available in the Default chat theme option under Chat settings. From here, you can choose from over 22 preset themes or mix-match wallpapers and color tones to create your own unique take.
Once applied, it fills up the entire chat window, including chat bubbles and other general UI elements replacing the monotonous green motif. The familiar blue ticks are also changed with white ones to make them easier to read. However, the theme is only visible when you enter the conversation, and everything else looks the same from the outside.
So this new WhatsApp theming system lets you personalize individual chats, adding a personal touch that was missing before. Like I have set a mint green theme for my mom’s WhatsApp chat, and a crimson red one for my girlfriend’s chat. Although, it is worth noting that changing your theme doesn’t apply to the other side of the chat. They can set their own theme for your chat, or keep enjoying the default one.
Is WhatsApp Chat Themes Better than the Competition?
Since we are on the topic of chat themes, I can’t ignore the two elephants in the room. Instagram and Facebook Messenger. Two apps that have had theming for years and also fall under the same Meta umbrella as WhatsApp.
Well, they also let you pick chat colors, and themes. But they don’t have the option to change the background image like WhatsApp. However, they have a bunch of cool themes based on the latest movies, TV shows, or other popular characters that come with their chat wallpaper which is applied along with the theme. Like this Squid Games one, I have applied on Messenger.
They keep adding new themes, so your options are not limited. You can even generate your own theme with the help of Meta AI. Another thing is when you apply a theme on Instagram or Messenger, it is set for both users in a chat. This is a good way to annoy friends by constantly changing themes. But that’s not the case on WhatsApp, as explained above.
Other than that, I feel the theming experience is quite basic on both Instagram and Messenger. You can only pick what is available and don’t have any options for customization. This is something that WhatsApp has implemented better. But it is still far behind Telegram which lets you tweak chat bubble size, corners, and app icons.
Opening the Flood Gates of Customization
Now everything isn’t all shiny and good. There are inconsistencies all over the place. Like opening the attachment tray, or visiting the Contacts info page, reveals the same white or dark grayish backgrounds. The general theme outside the chat is also the same old one that we are used to, which needs to be ironed out. We know WhatsApp is working on new themes for the entire app. So, these issues should also get resolved over time.
Overall, I think WhatsApp has taken the first step towards making the app more expressive with its superior theming experience. It’s just that it suffers from being very late to the party, but it shows how much potential the app has. Hopefully, the devs catch up with the pace and add more colors, backgrounds, and other customizations to the app soon. After four months, I am already itching to try out more colors and wallpapers.
