WhatsApp is working on a way for two people, or an entire group, to see the same chat wallpaper, theme, and bubble color at the same time. Right now, chat themes are private and only the person who sets one can see it.
The company has been expanding these customization options in recent months. A prior WhatsApp for iOS 26.33.73 update added new theme categories, including a Live option with slow-moving animated wallpapers and a Minimal option that strips the interface down to a plain look. WhatsApp automatically pairs each theme with a bubble color that keeps text readable.
The new sync option builds on that groundwork. As spotted by WABetaInfo, it first showed up inside the WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.37.10.16 on TestFlight, and it is still in early development with no timeline for a wider release.
Setting A Chat Theme Will Include A New Sync Option
When a user sets a theme for a one-on-one chat, they will get a choice to keep it private or apply it to both sides of the conversation. Choosing to sync switches the other person’s chat to the same wallpaper, theme, and bubble color right away. The other participant does not need to accept anything or change a setting on their end.
Control stays with whoever sets the theme. WhatsApp will post a system message in the chat naming who made the change, so both sides know a theme was updated and who did it.
Group Chats Get The Same Theme Sync Toggle
WhatsApp is bringing the same sync option to group chats. A user who sets a theme for a group can choose to apply it to every member at once instead of keeping it private.
Individual chats and group chats work the same way under the hood, with only the number of people seeing the change different.
WABetaInfo points to family groups and team workspaces as examples where a shared look makes sense, since everyone in the conversation sees the same design without needing to change anything themselves.
Custom Wallpapers And Bubble Colors Are Part Of The Sync Too
The sync option is not limited to WhatsApp’s preset theme categories. Users will also be able to sync a custom wallpaper pulled from their own photo library, along with a matching bubble color. The person who receives a synced theme is not locked into it. They can switch to a different wallpaper or color afterward if they prefer something else.
WhatsApp says the whole feature is protected by end-to-end encryption, so the company cannot see which theme or wallpaper two people or a group agree to share. The option currently sits inside an internal build tied to iOS 26.37.10.16, with no public release date confirmed.
