WhatsApp Tests Dynamic Bottom Navigation Bar on Android

• WhatsApp is testing a bottom navigation bar that shrinks as Android users scroll down their chat list.
• The compact floating pill keeps its icons visible while reducing the bar’s width and height.
• The feature remains under development, with no confirmed release date and no beta availability yet.

WhatsApp is testing a dynamic bottom navigation bar on Android that changes size depending on how users scroll through their chat list. The bar could become smaller while users move down the list and return to its full size when they scroll back up.

The idea is to keep the chat list in focus. When someone is looking for a conversation, they may not need the full navigation bar taking up space at the bottom of the screen. However, the feature is still being developed and is not available to beta testers at present.

How WhatsApp’s Dynamic Bottom Bar Could Work

When users scroll down through their chats, the bottom navigation bar shrinks into a compact floating pill. Scrolling back up makes it expand to its full size again. The change is tied to the direction in which users scroll, rather than being a permanent change to the layout.

Full and Compact Navigation Bar

In its full form, the bar expands across the width of the screen, matching the layout users see when they open a tab for the first time. In compact form, it becomes shorter in both width and height, but its icons remain visible. This would keep the navigation options available while making the bar less prominent during scrolling.

The dynamic bottom navigation bar is intended to reduce distractions while users search for a chat. It would not hide the navigation icons, so users could still see the available tabs in the compact layout.

Similar to Instagram’s Navigation Bar

Instagram‘s bottom navigation bar already follows the same general behaviour, shrinking as users scroll and returning to its full size when they scroll back up. WhatsApp and Instagram are both Meta apps, and WhatsApp may be adopting a similar interaction for its chat list.

WhatsApp has also been working on other changes to the bottom bar. An earlier layout refresh introduced a floating bar with rounded corners and no text labels beneath the icons. The team has also worked on changing the selected-tab indicator from a pill shape to a circular one. The scrolling behaviour is another change under development, and the final design may look different when released.

WhatsApp Beta Availability

The dynamic navigation behaviour was spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.41.6 on the Google Play Store. That does not mean the feature is ready for testing: it remains under development and is not available even to beta testers.

WhatsApp has not announced a release date. The interface could change further before a wider rollout, so its current appearance should not be treated as the final design. Users can also explore existing WhatsApp privacy settings and tips while waiting for future feature updates.

Conclusion

WhatsApp is working on a dynamic bottom navigation bar that responds to scrolling by switching between a full-width layout and a compact floating pill. The change could make browsing chats less distracting while keeping the icons visible. For now, it remains in development, with no confirmed release date.

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