Just in time for New Year’s Eve, WhatsApp is releasing a new update with lots of new features to add a festive touch to your messages and calls. The update brings a new sticker pack, fun video call effects, animated reactions and more, making it easier to spread the New Year cheer.
In a recent blog post, WhatsApp said it has added a new 2026 sticker pack to mark the occasion and introduced new video call effects that allow users to add fireworks, confetti and star animations to their video calls. Messenger is also bringing back special reactions and users will now see a confetti animation when they react to messages with the confetti emoji.
The update also brings animated stickers to WhatsApp’s status feature, offering users a 2026-themed layout with an animated sticker for sharing New Year greetings. Along with these features, WhatsApp has highlighted some tips to help users plan their New Year gatherings effectively.
The Meta-owned messaging app notes that users can create events, pin them to group chats, collect RSVPs and share updates to streamline planning. They can also use surveys to narrow down food, drinks and activities and share their live location to help friends reach the party location safely.
New Year’s Eve didn’t always go smoothly for WhatsApp
New Year’s Eve is WhatsApp’s busiest time of year as millions of users try to connect with friends and loved ones around the world. In the past, this increase in traffic has caused service interruptions, making it harder for some users to get through at midnight.
If that happens again this year, WhatsApp’s new voicemail feature could come in handy. This allows users to leave voice or video messages after missed calls, ensuring that New Year’s greetings are still delivered if they are unable to connect at twelve o’clock.
