WhatsApp is tweaking its drawing tools for iPhone

Whatsapp Group Message on iPhone X
Whatsapp Group Message on iPhone X (Image credit: Luke Filipowicz/iMore)

What you need to know

  • WhatsApp is changing the drawing interface on iPhone.
  • The blur tool is moving and two new drawing pencils are being added.
  • The new interface and tools are only available to WhatsApp beta testers at this time.

WhatsApp is testing a new drawing interface and new pencil tools in the latest version of its iPhone beta app, according to a new report. The new interface moves an existing blur tool's location while adding a pair of pencil tools at the same time.

The changes are part of the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 22.8.0.73 update, as noted by WABetaInfo. The changes are relatively minor but show a continued effort to refine the drawing interface and toolset within the WhatsApp app on iPhone.

Whatsapp Beta Drawing Tools

Whatsapp Beta Drawing Tools (Image credit: WABetaInfo)

As you can see in this screenshot, the blur tool will be removed from the usual position (the color bar) and it is available at the bottom of the screen with two new pencils. This new interface for the drawing editor is available to some beta testers and more activations are planned at a later date

While there is currently no timeline for when we can expect this interface change to be part of the version of WhatsApp available in the App Store, the original report does note that the instant messaging company continues to roll it out to more beta testers. Expect it to arrive in the App Store once more testing has been completed.

WhatsApp is one of the best iPhone apps for keeping in touch with people on other, non-Apple, platforms. Those could include people with Android devices and Windows PCs, two device types that Apple's iMessage cannot reach.

Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.