--- description: WhatsApp, the instant messaging application owned by Meta, released a new update this week. title: Everything to Know About WhatsApp's Latest Update image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt91df785a2487e6dd/698a59f8d0753301b3e711d4/GettyImages-2164040587.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Tech](/tag/time-section-tech/) ## Tech Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Everything to Know About WhatsApp's Latest Update and How to Access It  by [Rebecca Schneid](/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Reporter Aug 16, 2024 3:25 PM CUT  The WhatsApp icon is displayed on a phone screen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland, on July 31, 2024. The WhatsApp icon is displayed on a phone screen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland, on July 31, 2024.Jakub Porzyck—Getty Images  by [Rebecca Schneid](/author/rebecca-schneid/)  ## Rebecca Schneid Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Reporter Aug 16, 2024 3:25 PM CUT WhatsApp, the instant messaging application owned by [Meta](https://time.com/6305383/meta-threads-failing/ "undefined"), released an update this week, introducing animated stickers from GIPHY, the popular [GIF](https://time.com/4603766/top-gifs-2016/ "undefined") platform. [In a blog post](https://blog.whatsapp.com/express-yourself-with-more-stickers "undefined"), Meta wrote that the “integration lets you find and share relevant and engaging stickers, without having to leave the app.” WhatsApp, which [recently hit 100 million users ](https://blog.whatsapp.com/100-million-using-whatsapp-across-the-united-states "undefined")in the United States, says that users can access the new GIPHY features by updating the app in theApp store. Before the update, U.S.-based WhatsApp users were among those who could stay within the app to send GIFs from GIPHY—which was previously owned by Meta— but now they will be able to expand their use to animated stickers. Users will be able to search for different stickers using keywords or emojis. **Read More:** [_Mark Zuckerberg Just Intensified the Battle for AI’s Future_](https://time.com/7002563/mark-zuckerberg-ai-llama-meta-open-source/ "undefined") The update goes even further for Android users, expanding access to a “custom sticker maker” of which iOS users have already had access to for some time. With the sticker maker, WhatsApp users can create personalized stickers using photographs in their camera roll, or they can edit existing stickers using the cut, draw, and crop tools. Meta also shared on its blog that if, after searching, users do not find the GIF they want, they can utilize [Meta AI](https://time.com/7002563/mark-zuckerberg-ai-llama-meta-open-source/ "undefined") to create more custom stickers. All of a user's stickers can be organized through customizable dashboards called a “sticker tray.” This AI sticker feature is currently available to iPhone and Android users in the United States. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7011741/whatsapp-update-explained-latest-stickers-giphy-ai-features/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7011741/whatsapp-update-explained-latest-stickers-giphy-ai-features/"},"headline":"Everything to Know About WhatsApp's Latest Update and How to Access It","datePublished":"2024-08-16T15:25:21.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:53:25.478Z","description":"WhatsApp, the instant messaging application owned by Meta, released a new update this week.","url":"https://time.com/7011741/whatsapp-update-explained-latest-stickers-giphy-ai-features/","keywords":["Tech","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt91df785a2487e6dd/698a59f8d0753301b3e711d4/GettyImages-2164040587.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rebecca Schneid","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/rebecca-schneid/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt91df785a2487e6dd/698a59f8d0753301b3e711d4/GettyImages-2164040587.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Meta Platforms Photo Illustrations","caption":"Meta Platforms Photo Illustrations","creditText":"Jakub Porzyck—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7011741/whatsapp-update-explained-latest-stickers-giphy-ai-features/","name":"Everything to Know About WhatsApp's Latest Update and How to Access It"}}]}] ```