New emojis in WhatsApp
Are you using WhatsApp on Android? If so, you will soon (or maybe already now) be able to get started with a big batch of new emojis. With the latest update, the app gets support for Emoji 17.0, good for a whopping 143 new designs.
The update is being rolled out via WhatsApp version 2.26.8.72 and has been available to Android users since March 2026. In doing so, WhatsApp is following the broader trend: earlier Pixel phones already got these new emoji designs, and now apps and other manufacturers are joining step by step.
What's new?
A total of 143 new emojis have been added. These are not only completely new symbols, but also variations and extensions to existing emojis.
A few notable newcomers:
- a deformed face
- a 'fight cloud' familiar from comic books
- an orca (killer whale)
- a trombone
- a hairy creature inspired by mythical figures such as Bigfoot
- a landslide
- a treasure chest
There are also extensions, such as additional skin colour options for the ballet dancer(s) and new variations for emojis such as "people wrestling" and "people with bunny ears".
Minor tweaks to existing emoji's
Besides new additions, WhatsApp has also tweaked some existing emoji. For instance, the black bird is now visible as an entire animal instead of just a head. The cake emoji now shows a whole cake instead of a separate piece, and the rabbit ears emoji has been given a slightly different outfit and pose.
Not everyone sees the same
Interestingly, the new emoji's do not always come through well for everyone. For example, if you send a new emoji from Android to someone with an iPhone, they may only see a question mark. This is because emoji support depends not only on the app, but also on the device's operating system.
In fact, Apple iPhone users continue to see the emojis supported by iOS, and sometimes lag behind the latest Unicode updates.
When will you have them?
As soon as you update WhatsApp to version 2.26.8.72 (or higher), you will get access to the new emojis, provided your Android device supports the update.
Via Smartdroid, Emojipedia
