Liquid Glass: WhatsApp revamps its Mac app Apfelpatient

This article may contain affiliate links. Learn more on our Partner Program page.

Make Apfelpatient a preferred source One click – and you'll see us more often on Google

Following the iPhone, the Mac version of WhatsApp is also expected to get the Liquid Glass look. Early indications show a redesigned sidebar, a new chat bar, and macOS 26 elements – still deep in development.

Meta is gradually rolling out Apple's Liquid Glass design language to its apps. After the new look was rolled out more broadly to iOS users last month, attention is now turning to the Mac. WhatsApp has apparently begun adapting its appearance to the revised look – although this is not yet visible in a public beta.

A slow start for Liquid Glass

The transition of WhatsApp to the Liquid Glass look is taking its time. A first, small test began in October 2025 for some iOS users, with a wider rollout only following last month. Even after that, many users are still reporting that they don't see the new design at all. On the iPhone, it currently mainly affects the top and bottom navigation bars as well as the iOS 26 keyboard.

In parallel, Meta is working on extending Liquid Glass to other areas of the iOS app – such as the voice message player and the context menu for message reactions. The company had already visibly refined the Liquid Glass look for the chat interface. The Mac app is now joining this step-by-step transition.

What will change in the Mac app

The early development stage of the Mac version was discovered in a report by WABetaInfo. According to the report, the feature is so far in development that it hasn't even been enabled for beta testers; it only became visible after the interface, including macOS 26 elements, was manually activated.

Several adjustments are visible: a redesigned sidebar with a text label next to each icon, a revised chat bar, a refreshed attachment menu, and a dedicated section for locked chats. Overall, the Mac app's appearance is now closer to what iPhone users are already familiar with.

A unified look across iPhone, iPad and Mac

According to the report, iPad users should also receive the Liquid Glass look at a later date. Meta's goal is clearly a consistent appearance across all platforms: The interfaces on iPad and Mac should more closely resemble the iPhone design, so that WhatsApp feels as similar as possible on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. The same design language should apply to everything from the chat bar and context menu to buttons – provided the transition is faster than before.

Indications of a faster rollout

A second observation suggests that the pace might be picking up: Over the weekend, Threads users also reported a Liquid Glass-style bottom navigation bar, complete with an iOS 26 keyboard. Overall, it seems Meta is preparing a broader and faster Liquid Glass rollout across its entire app family. However, a concrete release date for the Mac version is still pending – it will likely be some time before it's included in a public beta. (Image: Shutterstock / Samuel Boivin)