People outraged by tiny change of colour in WhatsApp app

New use of green came amid a host of design tweaks

(AFP via Getty Images)

WhatsApp users are continuing to be upset by a change in the app’s design that began months ago.

“I’ve never seen an uglier shade of green than whatever is going on WhatsApp,” wrote on person on X/Twitter, in a post that has since been shared 5,000 times. “WhatsApp too green for me [right now]” wrote another.

The change has been ongoing for months – but is only rolling out to some people now. And it is coming amid a host of other small design changes that might make the change of colour feel more significant.

WhatsApp recently began the rollout of what it calls a “new, updated look”.

“We’ve made some changes to how WhatsApp looks and feels, including spacing, colors, icons and more,” it said. “These changes bring a modern, new experience to WhatsApp and make it more accessible and easier to use.”

Many things apart from the colours were changed. WhatsApp added a dark mode, and more white to the light mode; updated looks for its icons and buttons; more spacing in parts of the app; a WhatsApp logo in the Chats tab; and updates to the Android navigation.

But it is the use of new colours that has upset users. That is primarily the fact that it has swapped to using green – rather than blue – for its messaging.

It also changed the shade of green itself to match its “brand colour”. More broadly, it said it would use different colours in different places with the aim of doing so “more intentionally so you can focus on the things that matter most on the screen”.

The large number of small tweaks happening at once might make the change of colour feel more substantial, however, since those other adjustments arrived at the same time.

The change has been happening for some time. But WhatsApp warned that it will be rolled out gradually and slowly – which might account for the fact that many people are only becoming frustrated now.

“Everyone who uses WhatsApp will eventually receive this update, so it’s not something you can opt out of,” its troubleshooting page warns. “If you can’t see these changes yet, there may be a short wait before they reach everyone.”