WhatsApp has been testing a bottom navigation bar for its Android app for the last couple of months. In late May 2023, the company even rolled out thebottom tabs widely to all its users on the beta channel. While the revamped interface aids one-hand use, it has one frustrating limitation: you cannot swipe left/right to switch between tabs. WhatsApp is finally addressing this annoyance in the latest beta release of its Android app.
Since the swipe-to-switch tabs gesture is not apart of the Material Design 3 guidelines, it is understandable why WhatsApp did not implement the motion in the first place. But the inability to swipe to switch between tabs was an unintuitive change and made navigation difficult.
Thankfully, asWABetainforeports, some users running the latest WhatsApp beta for Android v2.23.13.9 release can now switch between tabs with a simple swipe.
The change makes jumping between Chats, Calls, Communities, and Status tabs a lot easier.
WhatsApp likely made this change after gathering user feedback on the beta channel and decided to make an exception to the Material Design 3 guidelines to deliver a better user experience.
Additionally, over the last few beta releases, WhatsApp has tweaked the switches and buttons inside the app with rounded corners to better adhere to Google’s latest design recommendations. This gives them a more modern look and feel that aligns better with the revamped interface.
The swipe to switch between tabs and the redesigned buttons are rolling out as a server-side push from WhatsApp. So, they may not appear for you even on the latest beta build. If so, you’ll have to wait until the messaging service rolls out the change widely to its beta testers. It also should not be long before the company rolls out the revamped layout of its Android app to the public channel.
