New Year 2026: WhatsApp adds stickers, video effects and confetti reactions for celebrations

New Year’s Eve is approaching, with people across the world preparing to connect with family, friends and loved ones through messages and calls. As digital celebrations take centre stage, WhatsApp is playing a key role in helping users share greetings and celebrate together. To mark the occasion, the messaging platform has introduced party-themed features such as a 2026 sticker pack, video call effects, animated confetti reactions and animated status stickers to make New Year celebrations more engaging.

WhatsApp introduces new features for New Year celebrations

WhatsApp’s latest updates are designed to make New Year interactions more lively and interactive. The features allow users to enhance chats, video calls and status updates, helping them celebrate virtually through festive visuals and animations.

2026 WhatsApp New Year sticker pack

WhatsApp has rolled out a special 2026 sticker pack for the New Year, enabling users to express greetings and emotions through themed stickers. The pack can be accessed from the sticker section within individual or group chats and used alongside text to create personalised New Year wishes.

Video call effects add festive touch

For virtual celebrations, WhatsApp has added video call effects such as fireworks, confetti and stars. These effects can be activated during one-on-one or group video calls, adding a festive visual layer to online gatherings with friends and family.

Animated confetti reactions for chats

The app also allows users to react to messages with animated confetti. By long-pressing a message and selecting the reaction, users can trigger a visual celebration visible to all chat participants, making countdowns and announcements more engaging.

Animated stickers for status updates

WhatsApp now supports animated stickers in Status updates. Users can add festive animated stickers, including the 2026 pack, to photos or videos, allowing them to share New Year greetings with all contacts at once.

Tips for smoother celebrations on WhatsApp

Users are advised to plan messages and calls early, limit participants in video calls to ensure better connectivity, combine features creatively, keep greetings personal and share location details only with trusted contacts for safety.