WhatsApp brings Liquid Glass to Mac app

WhatsApp is starting a wider rollout of its Liquid Glass redesign for the Mac app, further aligning the desktop experience with the iPhone and iPad versions.

The redesign has been a slow burn. WhatsApp first tested Liquid Glass on iOS last October, and a broader rollout began just two months ago. On Mac, the company had already started updating some interface elements last month, borrowing heavily from the iPadOS version.

Now, as first spotted by WABetaInfo, the latest Mac App Store update appears to expand that work. According to the site, the release adds a redesigned sidebar plus refreshed chat bar and attachment menu elements.

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The update also changes how two features are accessed:

• Locked chats now have a dedicated sidebar section instead of sitting inside the main chat list.
• Accessing locked chats now requires authentication, matching the behavior on iPhone.
• Communities can now be opened directly from the sidebar rather than through the chat list.

WABetaInfo said the update effectively closes the remaining design gap between WhatsApp’s desktop and mobile apps.

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“The update closes the design difference between desktop and mobile apps. WhatsApp released Liquid Glass on iPhone first, then on iPad, and Mac is now catching up. All three platforms now follow the same design language that Apple set with its latest operating systems. WhatsApp worked toward this consistency for almost a year, and the Mac update is what finally closes the circle.”

As with many WhatsApp rollouts, availability is limited at first. WABetaInfo says the new Mac interface is currently reaching only a small number of users and should become available to more accounts over the coming weeks.