Business message folders, a redesigned Web/Desktop experience, and a home-screen voice widget for Android — everything that changed, and what's still in testing.
WhatsApp is rolling out three notable updates in 2026: an "Offers & Updates" folder that auto-sorts messages from large businesses out of your main inbox (currently in limited testing), a redesigned Web and Desktop app that now supports full voice and video calling in the browser plus Apple's Liquid Glass look on Mac, and a new Android home-screen voice widget that lets you record and send a voice note to multiple contacts without opening a chat (rolling out gradually to beta testers). None of the three are fully live for every user yet — here's exactly what each one does and how to try it.
WhatsApp doesn't ship one big yearly update anymore — Meta pushes changes gradually through its beta channel (tracked closely by outlets like WABetaInfo) before a wider rollout. Three threads have converged in the last few days: a business-side declutter tool, a long-awaited web calling upgrade, and a small but genuinely useful Android shortcut. Tap through the tabs below for the full breakdown of each.
WhatsApp is testing a new "Offers & Updates" folder that automatically moves messages from large businesses — banks, airlines, retailers — out of your main chat list after a delay of up to 24 hours. The goal is simple: personal chats and business notifications currently sit in the same list, and for heavy WhatsApp Business users that list can get genuinely chaotic. This is one part of a broader push by Meta, which reported in its Q2 2026 earnings that other revenue in its Family of Apps segment passed $1 billion, driven mainly by WhatsApp subscriptions and paid business messaging.
The test is currently limited to large businesses on the WhatsApp Business Platform — small businesses and individual accounts aren't included yet, though Meta has said it may expand the folder to more accounts later. Users will be able to turn the feature off entirely if they'd rather keep every message in one place.
WhatsApp Web and Desktop have quietly become far more capable. The biggest change: voice and video calls now work directly inside the browser — Chrome, Edge, or Safari — with no separate desktop app required, closing a long-standing gap with the mobile apps. On top of that, the Mac app is picking up Apple's Liquid Glass design language, bringing it visually in line with the iPhone and iPad apps nearly a year after that redesign landed on mobile.
Alongside the calling upgrade, the broader Web/Desktop update wave includes multi-device sync improvements, Meta AI built into the chat interface, chat lock for sensitive conversations, an updated status editor, and support for sharing files up to 2GB. Combined with April 2026's mobile redesign (new bottom navigation, animated stickers, larger emoji reactions), the overall direction is a more unified experience across every platform.
Why it matters: if you've avoided WhatsApp Web because it felt like a stripped-down companion app, that gap has mostly closed — you can now run full conversations, including calls, entirely from a browser tab.
WhatsApp is rolling out a new home-screen voice message widget for Android. It's a compact 3×1 widget (resizable) that opens a dedicated recording screen the moment you tap it — no need to open the app or find a specific chat first. Once you finish recording, a contact picker appears so you can send the same voice note to one person or several at once.
It isn't added automatically — you'll need to long-press your home screen, open the widget picker, and add it manually. WhatsApp is also showing an in-chat notice after you record a voice message the normal way, nudging you toward the widget so more people actually discover it. It's currently available only to some users on the WhatsApp beta for Android, spotted across beta builds 2.26.24.2 through 2.26.30.2, with no confirmed date yet for a full public rollout.
For anyone running a WhatsApp Business account — or managing one for a client — the "Offers & Updates" folder is the update worth watching most closely. Here's how it's expected to work based on the current test:
This follows a pattern Meta has been building for a couple of years: letting users unsubscribe from marketing messages, and capping how many broadcast messages a business or individual can send in a given window. The folder is the next layer on top of those spam controls.
If you last used WhatsApp Web as a read-only mirror of your phone, it's worth a second look. The update wave touching Web and Desktop in 2026 includes:
| Feature | What Changed |
|---|---|
| Voice & video calls | Now work natively in the browser — one-on-one and group calls, no separate app needed |
| Liquid Glass design (Mac) | Apple's translucent, depth-based visual style, matching the iPhone/iPad apps |
| Meta AI | Built into the chat interface for quick questions and assistance |
| Chat lock | Lock individual conversations behind an extra layer on Web/Desktop |
| Status editor | Updated tools for creating and managing status updates from desktop |
| File sharing | Share files up to 2GB directly through Web/Desktop |
For anyone using WhatsApp Web on a shared computer, a locked-down work laptop, or a library machine, this update matters in a very practical way: full calling now works without installing anything at all.
If you've received the beta widget, here's how to set it up:
Since it's still a beta feature, not everyone on the beta channel will see it immediately — Meta appears to be staggering the rollout to gather feedback before widening access.
If you run a WhatsApp Business account (or manage one for clients): the Offers & Updates folder is currently a large-business test, but it signals where Meta is headed — expect timing and framing of business messages to matter more, not less. Messages that read as genuinely useful updates (order confirmations, appointment reminders) are less likely to feel like clutter than pure promotional pushes, which is worth keeping in mind as this rolls out further.
For agencies and businesses using WhatsApp as a support or sales channel, the Web redesign is good news on its own: reps can now take calls and manage conversations entirely from a browser-based dashboard, without juggling a separate desktop app. Combined with WhatsApp's growing paid-messaging and AI-agent tools, 2026 is clearly the year WhatsApp business tooling gets treated as seriously as the consumer app.
It's a new "Offers & Updates" folder being tested by WhatsApp that automatically moves messages from large businesses, like banks and airlines, out of your main chat list after up to 24 hours.
Yes, users will be able to disable the feature entirely and keep all messages, including business ones, in their main inbox.
Not currently. The test is limited to large businesses on the WhatsApp Business Platform, though Meta has said it may extend the feature to small businesses later.
WhatsApp Web now supports full voice and video calling directly in the browser, along with Meta AI integration, chat lock, an updated status editor, and file sharing up to 2GB. The Mac app is also picking up Apple's Liquid Glass design.
No. Voice and video calls now work natively inside the browser on Chrome, Edge, or Safari, without needing a separate desktop app.
It's a home-screen widget that lets you record a voice message and send it to one or multiple contacts directly, without opening the app or a specific chat first.
You need the latest WhatsApp beta for Android from the Google Play Store, then add the widget manually through your phone's widget picker by long-pressing the home screen.
No, it's currently rolling out gradually to select WhatsApp beta testers on Android, with no confirmed date for a full public release.
Meta has been growing WhatsApp's business messaging and subscription revenue, which crossed $1 billion in its Family of Apps segment in Q2 2026, while also working to reduce inbox clutter and modernize the app's design across platforms.
💬 We track WhatsApp's beta rollouts closely and update this guide as features move from testing to general availability.