Avatars are increasingly becoming popular on social media apps and are currently present on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, and Reddit to name a few. To join in the fun, WhatsApp is the latest entrant in this scene, introducing 3D avatars for its users worldwide that can be used as profile photos or custom stickers.
This is the latest addition to the platform which has seen a host of new features over the past few months, including the introduction of Communities, the ability to message yourself and increasing the group video call limit to 32 individuals.
To mark the avatars’ arrival on the platform, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took to Facebook to announce the update. If you are still out of the loop, an avatar is basically a digital version of yourself that is customizable using different hairstyles, skin tones outfits etc.
Right off the bat, WhatsApp users can use a personalized avatar as their profile picture or choose from an existing group of 36 stickers which reflect different emotions and actions. The company also says that users would get style enhancements including lighting, shading and hairstyle textures over time.
Interestingly, Meta does not currently support importing your Facebook or Instagram avatar to be used on WhatsApp or using your WhatsApp avatar on the aforementioned platforms. This might however change later down the line.
To get started with your WhatsApp avatar, head to the settings menu on the platform, where there is an option to create one. Furthermore, there is also an option that lets users make their created avatars to be their profile photos.
Avatar support has already begun rolling out globally, so it should be available to most users already. Ensure you have the latest version of WhatsApp, then head over to the settings menu to check if the Avatar option is showing up. If it is not yet present, give it a few more days.
