WhatsApp Adds New Feature to Make Conversations More Fun Animated stickers have been added to the popular chat service WhatsApp and are gradually being rolled out to users who have downloaded the WhatsApp beta version for Android and iPhone.

Stickers have long been used on WhatsApp as a way to personalize messages. Regular sticker packs are widely available for download and use in the Facebook-owned messaging application. This time, these stickers will be animated. However, unlike GIFs, they do not loop, so they will only "play" once.

According to WABetaInfo, the animated sticker will begin in three phases. In the first phase, some users will be able to see the animated sticker. Once a user receives an animated sticker, that user can save, send, or forward it.

In the second phase, users will be able to download animated sticker packs from third parties, just like regular stickers. Already, creators are hard at work creating animated sticker packs that can be used on WhatsApp. And finally, WhatsApp will add default animated sticker packs to the WhatsApp store.

Currently, WhatsApp animated stickers are like rare creatures that are rarely seen in the wild. Animated sticker creators need to send them to you so you can see them and tell them about them. And since this new feature is in the very early stages, it may take some time to materialize.

This update will help keep iOS users on WhatsApp and away from Apple's Messages app, which is getting a major upgrade in iOS 14. It adds features that other chat services have offered for years, such as the ability to @ a specific user in a group chat and the ability to start a thread from an individual message.

To take advantage of the animated stickers, users must first become WhatsApp beta testers; Android users need the 2.20.194.7 beta version, and iPhone users need the 2.20.70.26 iOS beta version. WhatsApp Business beta is also available for download.

Beta test registration for the WhatsApp Android app is available here; the iPhone beta program is currently full, but check here for availability.