WhatsApp Tests Dynamic Android Navigation Bar That Shrinks When Scrolling
· By imran
WhatsApp is trying out a new dynamic bottom navigation bar on Android that gets smaller when users scroll down. The feature shows up in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.41.6, according to WABetaInfo. It arrives as WhatsApp continues to rework its Android interface through a series of design updates.
When someone scrolls down through the chat list, the navigation bar contracts into a compact floating pill at the bottom of the screen. The icons remain visible, but the bar occupies much less space. Scroll back up, and it stretches out to full width again. The same behavior applies across every tab, not just the chat list. Instagram already takes this exact approach in its own app.
The thinking behind the change is to cut down on distractions. People scrolling through chats to find a particular conversation rarely need the navigation tabs, so the smaller bar frees up more room for the chat list itself. Even so, the full-width bar still appears whenever users open a new tab.
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This is the fourth design change to WhatsApp’s Android navigation bar in recent beta updates. In version 2.26.38.10, WhatsApp introduced a floating bar with rounded corners and removed the text labels beneath the icons. Then, in version 2.26.41.7, the app replaced a pill-shaped tab indicator with a circular one. WABetaInfo notes that the design is still a work in progress.
WhatsApp first moved its navigation bar from the top of the screen to the bottom in 2024. That shift brought the app in line with most modern mobile apps and made one-handed use easier. At the time, WhatsApp described the bottom bar as “closer to your thumbs” and “easy on the eyes.” Since then, the company has steadily refined the bar’s appearance and behavior. The bar has four tabs: Chats, Communities, Status, and Calls.
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The dynamic navigation bar is currently under development. WABetaInfo reports that it will reach some beta testers in a future update, but WhatsApp has not announced a timeline for a stable release. Users who want to try it early can join the beta program through the Google Play Store.
