WhatsApp expands text stickers and adds a clearer way to create them on Android

What has changed

WhatsApp is rolling out an update to text stickers on Android, according to WABetaInfo. The change does two things: it adds a new, more visible way to create text stickers from the sticker keyboard, and it increases the number of designs the app can generate from 5 to 10.

The feature was spotted in the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.46.1, which is available through the Google Play Store. It is reaching some beta testers now, with a gradual rollout that should cover more accounts over the coming weeks.

How to make a text sticker now

To try the feature, a user opens the sticker keyboard and taps the option to create a generic sticker. WhatsApp then shows a bottom sheet, which is a panel that slides up from the bottom of the screen, offering two choices: build a sticker from a photo or build one from text.

After choosing the text option, the app displays a section with a search field at the top. As the user types, WhatsApp produces 10 stickers in real time, each showing the same words in a different design. Users can send any style straight away or keep editing the text before picking one.

Why the old entry point was easy to miss

Text stickers first appeared in the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.1.18, but the app gave little guidance on how to create one. The only route was to type words into the search field inside the sticker keyboard, which many people never use because they search for existing stickers rather than new ones.

The new option places text sticker creation in the same menu as photo sticker creation. WABetaInfo reports that this should make the feature far easier to discover for anyone who had not come across it before.

The 10 designs on offer

Each of the 10 stickers shows the same message in a different visual style, so users can pick one that suits the mood of the conversation. According to WABetaInfo, the set includes a yellow label, a pink heart surrounded by flames, a sticky note, and a handwritten calligraphy look.

The remaining designs cover a dark backdrop decorated with lightning bolts, a sticker with a drop shadow, a bright green version, a multicoloured option, a plain white frame, and a red A-frame sign. With twice as many choices as before, users are less likely to see the same handful of designs every time they create a sticker.

Who gets it and when

The feature is limited for now to some Android beta testers who install the latest update from the Google Play Store. Because the rollout is gradual, the option to create text stickers may not appear immediately for everyone in the beta programme.

WhatsApp has not said when, or whether, the change will reach all users. WABetaInfo notes that more accounts should gain access over the coming weeks, so beta testers who do not see the new entry point yet may simply need to wait for an updated build.