WhatsApp adds quicker reactions, selfie stickers, sticker pack sharing; Meta AI widget in the works

Meta has rolled out a new WhatsApp update that brings new features to the app like sending quick reactions to messages, creating selfie stickers, and sharing sticker packs with others. Now, you also get filters for the photos and videos you share. All of these appear as ways to encourage and enrich engagement on the platform. Meanwhile, the company is also reportedly working on a Meta AI widget that should allow quicker access to the chatbot. Let’s learn more about each of these new WhatsApp features.

WhatsApp new features: more ways to react

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Quicker reactions

You can now double-tap on messages to react with emojis. Here’s how:

Step 1: Open a WhatsApp chat and double-tap on the message you want to react.

Step 2: You will see a row of emojis. Select the one you like.

Selfie stickers

You can create stickers of your selfies and share them with your friends. You don’t have to hunt for a sticker that suits a particular situation or emotion. Here’s how you do that:

Step 1: In a WhatsApp chat screen, tap the sticker option on the left corner of the typing field.

Step 2: Tap on the green-coloured Create (with a pencil logo) option.

Step 3: Choose the Camera button and take an appropriate selfie. You may make expressions reflecting the emotion. WhatsApp will automatically generate a sticker of it. The selfie stickers you sent are saved in the stickers panel.

Share a sticker pack

Step 1: Open a WhatsApp chat with whom you want to share the sticker pack.

Step 2: At the bottom, you will have different sticker packs you have downloaded or added.

Step 3: Tap the sticker pack you want to share.

Step 4: Tap on the 3-dot button on the top left corner, parallel to the sticker pack’s name.

Step 5: Tap the Send button.

Step 6: The sticker pack will appear on the chat box (along with the sticker pack’s link and description). Tap the green-coloured send button next to the chat box.

The recipient will get a ‘View Sticker Pack’ option, tapping which, you will get the option ‘Add to my stickers’. The sticker pack will be added. Not all sticker packs would be compatible with all versions of WhatsApp.

Camera effects

While sharing photos or videos with anyone on WhatsApp, you will get the option to choose filters that match the mood of the content you are sharing. Here’s how you do that:

Step 1: Open a WhatsApp chat window and tap the attachment pin button and then Gallery or the camera option to choose an image.

Step 2: Before you send it, swipe up on the image you selected to bring up the filters, stickers, and other editing options.

Meta claims there are 30 backgrounds, filters and effects to edit the content before you share.

Meta AI widget

While this is not official yet, WhatsApp tipster WABetaInfo has shared a screenshot of the 4×1 Meta AI widget.

There is an Ask Meta AI prompt on the widget. Enter your query or prompt in the text field to quickly put the AI to use. The widget also has a camera button to upload images and get information or design prompts around it. We’ll keep you posted once the feature is live.