WhatsApp Special 2026 Sticker Arrives in Beta Update for New Year Celebrations

WhatsApp has released a new beta update for iOS through Apple’s TestFlight program, bringing the app to version 25.36.10.72. The update introduces a festive feature aimed at New Year celebrations: the WhatsApp Special 2026 sticker, which is now rolling out to select beta testers.

The WhatsApp Special 2026 sticker adds a visual layer to conversations, allowing users to mark the transition into the new year with animated graphics. While small in scope, the update reflects WhatsApp’s continued focus on expressive messaging features that enhance user engagement during key global moments.

What’s New in WhatsApp iOS Beta 25.36.10.72

The headline addition in this beta release is the rollout of the Special 2026 sticker, designed to bring festive animations to everyday conversations.

The WhatsApp sticker is built using the Lottie animation framework, ensuring smooth motion and high-quality visuals without increasing app size or affecting performance. This allows the animated sticker to run efficiently across different iPhone models.

The sticker is part of a wider New Year-themed pack that includes multiple festive visuals. Users can choose different designs depending on the mood of their message, from celebratory greetings to playful animations welcoming 2026.

WhatsApp is enabling the WhatsApp Special 2026 sticker across several core features of the app, reinforcing its broader push toward richer visual communication.

Users with access to the update can send the sticker in:

• Individual chats
• Group conversations
• WhatsApp Channels

For channel admins, the sticker offers an easy way to make announcements and updates feel more festive and engaging during the New Year period.

The WhatsApp Special 2026 sticker also appears in status updates, including WhatsApp’s Layout feature, which allows users to combine photos and videos into a single post.

When available, a dedicated “2026” animated icon appears within the Layout section, helping users quickly identify New Year-themed layouts. Adding the WhatsApp sticker to these layouts makes status updates more cohesive and visually appealing.

Why WhatsApp is expanding animated stickers

The rollout of the WhatsApp Special 2026 sticker highlights WhatsApp’s growing reliance on lightweight animations to improve user experience.

Lottie-based animated stickers offer several advantages:

• Smooth animations with minimal data usage
• Faster loading times compared to traditional GIFs
• Consistent performance across devices

These benefits are especially important for WhatsApp’s global user base, where efficiency and reliability remain key priorities.

iOS feature parity with Android continues

Alongside the WhatsApp Special 2026 sticker, the iOS beta points to WhatsApp’s ongoing effort to align features across platforms. The company is working to bring channel quiz creation tools, already available on Android, to iOS users.

This approach ensures that iPhone users receive the same creative and interactive tools, reducing long-standing differences between the two versions of the app.

Availability and rollout details

Currently, the WhatsApp Special 2026 sticker is:

• Available to some beta testers on WhatsApp iOS beta 25.36.10.72

• Rolling out gradually to more users over the coming weeks

While the full festive sticker pack is already accessible to all WhatsApp users, deeper integration of the WhatsApp Special 2026 sticker within Layouts remains limited to select beta testers for now.