Mumbai, January 18: WhatsApp is reportedly set to enhance profile customisation for its iOS users with the introduction of "Cover Photos," a feature previously exclusive to WhatsApp Business accounts. According to latest beta reports, the Meta-owned platform is testing a wide banner-style image that will sit behind the user's profile picture, similar to the layouts on Facebook and LinkedIn. This update is part of a broader push to transform the messaging app into a more expressive social hub, allowing users to showcase personality through landscape images or digital art.

Beyond aesthetic customisation, WhatsApp is prioritising user security by developing dedicated privacy controls for these banners. Beta testers have noted a new "Cover Photo Privacy" section within the app's settings, which will allow individuals to restrict visibility to "Everyone," "My Contacts," or "Nobody." This ensures that while users have more tools for self-expression, they maintain granular control over who can view their expanded profile details. WhatsApp New Feature Update: Meta-Owned Platform Rolls Out on ‘Manage Chat Storage’ To Help Users Free Up Space From Device; Available to Android Beta Users.

WhatsApp Predictive Sticker Suggestions and Clearer Previews

In addition to profile changes, WhatsApp is rolling out a "Sticker Suggestions" feature for iOS beta testers. This tool dynamically recommends relevant stickers as a user types, based on the emojis entered in the text field. By surfacing visual reactions in real-time above the keyboard, the app aims to make conversations more fluid, eliminating the need to manually browse through sticker packs.

WhatsApp iOS Update 2026 Features

The platform is also improving how shared content appears in chats. A new "Clearer Link Previews" update is being released to the stable version of the iOS app. This feature minimises chat disruption by displaying only essential information, such as the website's domain and a clean preview image, rather than long, messy URLs. Users can still view the full web path by tapping and holding the domain name within the message bubble.

WhatsApp Security Enhancements: Usernames and Klipy Integration

WhatsApp is making significant strides in its transition toward a phone-number-free identity system. A new "Username Key" feature is currently in development for first-time chats. This would require unknown contacts to enter a specific code or "key" before they can message a user via their username, adding a robust layer of protection against unsolicited spam and unwanted interactions. WhatsApp New Feature Update: Meta-Owned Platform Tests ‘Threaded Message Replies’ for Organised Group Chats; Currently Available iOS Beta Users.

WhatsApp GIF Provider Transition 2026

On the technical side, WhatsApp is preparing for a major provider shift. Due to the scheduled shutdown of Google’s Tenor API on June 30, 2026, the app is integrating "Klipy" as its new primary GIF and sticker provider. This silent transition will ensure that users can continue searching for animated content without interruption. While GIPHY will remain as a secondary option, the move to Klipy reflects WhatsApp's proactive approach to maintaining service stability ahead of the mid-2026 deadline.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 18, 2026 10:47 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).