WhatsApp for Mac has just received a major update that allows you to personalize the chat interface by selecting from lots of new themes. If you use WhatsApp on mobile, you are probably already aware that various chat themes are available, now Mac owners have a more consistent experience too. The feature is under a gradual rollout, with Beta users more likely to receive it but those on Stable are not excluded. Once you have it, it’s available in Settings > Chats.
Including the original default theme, there are 22 preset themes that include a unique wallpaper and a matching message bubble color, created for visual balance. You are not limited to these presets, however, and can select from 38 color options for message bubbles, adjust the background brightness, and upload your own images as wallpapers.
You have the option to override the global default theme or just for individual conversations - this could be useful for distinguishing work-related conversations and personal ones. WhatsApp is a privacy-focused app and in that vein, only you can see the theme you have set, not the other person - this is different from Facebook Messenger.
Being able to set the theme in WhatsApp for Mac has several practical benefits. The chief benefit is that it allows users to create a more comfortable and visually appealing environment for longer desktop sessions. It can also help to improve organization and workflow efficiency by visually distinguishing different types of chat. It also has the potential to benefit your eyes by reducing eye strain in low-light conditions.
Unfortunately, chat themes on Mac are not synchronized with those on iPhone, so if you want the same theme across devices, you’ll need to set it twice, manually. An alternative view of this, of course, is that you have the freedom to set different themes on each device which could be advantageous if you use a dark theme on Mac and a bright theme on iPhone; having different WhatsApp themes here might make sense.
With this rollout, Meta is finally unifying the customization experience across all WhatsApp platforms in the Apple ecosystem. The gradual rollout means that all Mac users will soon be able to personalize their chats.
Source and image via WABetaInfo