WhatsApp rolls out festive features for New Year 2026: Animated stickers, video call effects and more

By Admin

01 Jan, 2026

Introduction
As the world prepares to welcome New Year 2026, WhatsApp has introduced a set of festive features designed to make celebrations more engaging and joyful. The Meta-owned messaging platform revealed that New Year’s Eve is historically its busiest day of the year, often setting new global records for message exchanges and calls. With billions of people connecting at the same moment, WhatsApp aims to add a festive spark to digital celebrations through interactive tools and creative updates.

Why New Year’s Eve Is Special for WhatsApp
WhatsApp shared that on a regular day, the platform supports over 100 billion messages and more than 2 billion calls worldwide. However, the 24-hour period when the world welcomes a New Year consistently tops these numbers. Whether it’s video calls bringing families together across continents or group chats coordinating celebrations, WhatsApp plays a crucial role in helping people stay connected during this global moment.

To celebrate New Year 2026, WhatsApp has rolled out four new features that add festive touches to messages, calls, and status updates.

WhatsApp’s New Festive Features for New Year 2026

2026 Sticker Pack
WhatsApp has introduced a dedicated 2026 sticker pack that users can access to send cheerful New Year greetings. These stickers are designed specifically for welcoming the new year and make conversations more expressive and celebratory.

Video Call Effects
For users celebrating virtually, WhatsApp has added interactive video call effects. During a video call, users can tap the effects icon to activate animations such as fireworks, confetti, and stars. These effects light up the screen and add excitement, especially during New Year countdowns with friends and family.

Animated Confetti Reactions
WhatsApp is also bringing back its popular animated reaction feature. When users react to a message using the confetti emoji, a special animation plays, adding a fun and festive element to chats during the holiday season.

Animated Status Updates
For the first time in WhatsApp’s history, animated stickers are coming to the Status section. Users can post New Year updates using a special 2026 layout combined with animated stickers, making status posts more dynamic and visually engaging.

WhatsApp’s Tips for Planning New Year Celebrations
Along with new features, WhatsApp has shared practical tips to help users plan and manage New Year celebrations more smoothly through group chats.

Using Events
Users can create events within group chats and pin them for easy visibility. This helps collect RSVPs, share important details, and ensure everyone stays informed about New Year plans.

Using Polls
The Polls feature can be used to make group decisions such as selecting food, drinks, or party activities. This makes planning quicker and avoids confusion in busy group chats.

Sharing Live Location
For safety and convenience, WhatsApp recommends using the live location feature. Friends can easily find the venue, and loved ones can be informed when someone reaches home safely after celebrations.

Voice and Video Notes
For those who cannot attend celebrations in person, voice notes and video notes provide a more personal way to stay connected and share New Year wishes.

Conclusion
With animated stickers, interactive video call effects, enhanced reactions, and smarter group planning tools, WhatsApp’s New Year 2026 updates focus on making digital celebrations more festive and meaningful. As millions of users ring in the new year across different time zones, these features ensure that distance doesn’t come in the way of connection, joy, and shared moments.