WhatsApp iPad app gets a Mac-like sidebar in gradual rollout

WhatsApp is making its iPad app look more like its Mac version. According to WABetaInfo’s report, WhatsApp is gradually rolling out a new sidebar that replaces the bottom tab bar for some iPad users. The change appears in WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.36.10.17, and some people on the regular App Store version are seeing it too.

The layout makes better use of the iPad’s wider screen. Instead of sending users to a row of tabs at the bottom, WhatsApp keeps the main sections in a column on the left while the chat list and conversation stay visible beside it.

What the new iPad sidebar includes

The sidebar is visible by default and mirrors the navigation WhatsApp recently added to its Mac app. It includes Chats, Updates, Communities, Calls, and Meta AI. WABetaInfo also reports a More section for Locked, Archived, Starred, Status, and Favourites, along with a profile button at the bottom for opening Settings.

The change fits into WhatsApp’s wider Liquid Glass redesign, which is still arriving in pieces across the company’s Apple apps.

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You can hide the sidebar when you need more space

WhatsApp does not force the three-column layout on you. Tap the control at the top right of the sidebar to hide it. The chat list and conversation then expand toward the center of the screen, while a tab bar appears at the top so you can still switch between the same sections. Tap the sidebar button there to bring the column back.

The rollout is not available to everyone yet

WABetaInfo says the sidebar is reaching some TestFlight users and some people on the stable App Store version, but access is still tied to WhatsApp’s gradual rollout. Updating the app may help, but it does not guarantee that the new layout will appear on your account.

Meta has not separately announced this sidebar. Its latest WhatsApp feature roundup confirms that people can now create an account directly on iPad, but it does not mention the redesigned navigation. The sidebar details currently come from WABetaInfo’s beta findings and reports from users who received the change.

WhatsApp’s Help Center explains that new features can take days or weeks to reach every account. If you have not set up the app yet, this WhatsApp on iPad guide covers both linking an existing account and creating one directly.