Highlights
- WhatsApp is rolling out a New Year 2026 sticker pack, celebratory video call effects, animated confetti reactions and animated stickers in Status updates.
- The platform encourages users to enhance group chats with pinned events, polls for party planning, live location sharing for safety and voice/video notes.
- It highlights that New Year’s Eve is its busiest day.
WhatsApp has unveiled a range of festive features aimed at making the New Year 2026 celebrations more engaging for users worldwide. New Year’s Eve consistently ranks as its busiest day of the year for global messaging and calling activity. In a recently published blog post, WhatsApp highlighted the scale of activity on its platform.
The platform wrote, “On a regular day, we support over 100 billion messages and 2 billion calls – but the twenty-four hours when the world welcomes a New Year always tops our charts. Whether it’s a video call that unites families across continents, or a group chat that organizes a celebration, we’re proud to play a small role in making people’s wishes for next year special.”
Celebrate New Year 2026 With WhatsApp – New WhatsApp Festive Features
To celebrate the arrival of 2026, WhatsApp is rolling out four new features designed to add a festive feel to New Year greetings and conversations. These include a new sticker pack, enhanced video call effects, animated reactions and updated Status options.
2026 Sticker Pack
WhatsApp is introducing a dedicated “2026 sticker pack” that users can access to share New Year wishes with friends and family.
Video Call Effects
For users celebrating virtually, WhatsApp has added new visual effects for video calls. By tapping the effects icon during a call, users can activate fireworks, confetti, and star animations that appear on the screen, adding a celebratory touch to New Year countdowns.
Animated Confetti Reactions
The platform is also bringing back its special reaction animation. Users can trigger this by tapping the confetti emoji while reacting to messages.
Status Updates
WhatsApp is introducing animated stickers to the Status section for the first time. Users can post New Year updates using a special “2026 layout” paired with an animated sticker.
WhatsApp’s Tips for New Year Celebrations
Alongside the new features, WhatsApp has shared several tips to help users plan and manage New Year celebrations more effectively through group chats.
Events – Users can create an event within a group chat and pin it to keep it visible. This allows members to share details, collect RSVPs, and stay updated on New Year plans.
Polls – The Polls feature can be used to make group decisions on party-related details such as food, drinks, or activities.
Live Location – For safety and convenience, users can share their live location to help others find the venue or to inform loved ones when they arrive home safely.
Voice and Video Notes – For friends and family who are unable to attend celebrations in person, WhatsApp recommends using voice or video notes to stay connected during the festivities.
FAQs
Q1. What new festive features is WhatsApp introducing for New Year 2026?
Answer. WhatsApp is rolling out a 2026 sticker pack, video call effects (fireworks, confetti, stars), animated confetti reactions, and animated stickers in Status updates to make New Year greetings more engaging.
Q2. How busy does WhatsApp activity get during New Year’s Eve?
Answer. New Year’s Eve is WhatsApp’s busiest day of the year, surpassing its usual 100 billion daily messages and 2 billion calls, as families and friends connect globally through chats and video calls.
Q3. How can WhatsApp help users plan and manage New Year celebrations?
Answer. WhatsApp suggests using group events (pinned in chats), polls for party decisions, live location sharing for safety, and voice/video notes to include those who can’t attend in person.