Meta has unveiled personalized avatars for WhatsApp, now available as stickers that can be sent and received across chats. The update introduces a set of 36 unique sticker expressions derived from a user’s own avatar, usable in both individual and group conversations and even as a profile picture.
Meta avatars function as customizable virtual characters similar to Bitmoji from Snapchat or Memoji from Apple. The new feature expands across Meta platforms, signing off on a broader rollout after months of development and staged testing. Android versions released in October and the corresponding iOS updates that followed have helped refine the experience before the public launch.
WhatsApp explains that users can design their own avatars with a wide range of options. The setup allows mixing different hairstyles, facial features, clothing, and accessories to produce a truly personal digital representation. Once the avatar is configured, a library of 36 stickers emerges to convey a spectrum of emotions and actions such as smiling, clapping, or kissing. These expressive stickers can be shared in both one-to-one chats and group conversations, enabling more lively conversation without typing.
Beyond messaging, the avatar can serve as a profile photo, offering a digital stand-in that preserves privacy by letting users share a representation rather than a real image. WhatsApp notes that future updates will introduce further styling enhancements, including lighting, shadows, and texture options, to keep avatars feeling fresh and expressive.
The broader aim is to provide a quick and enjoyable way to stay connected with friends and family while offering an alternative mode of emotional expression within chats. The feature is also positioned as a privacy-friendly option, allowing users to present themselves without exposing their actual photo.
This avatar initiative aligns with Meta’s ongoing effort to enrich its data and media features. In addition to WhatsApp, there is potential for these avatars to evolve into three-dimensional representations in other Meta apps such as Facebook, expanding how users interact with digital personas across the ecosystem.