Anyone who’s ever stared at those tiny WhatsApp checkmarks knows the weight they can carry. One tick, message sent. Two ticks, message delivered. Two ticks in blue? Message read, and now you’re waiting, wondering, maybe overthinking.
For years, that classic grey-to-blue shift has been part of WhatsApp’s unspoken language. But the introduction of custom chat themes complicated things. Suddenly, in some conversations, those familiar blue ticks turned white. The change was meant to make receipts more visible against certain wallpapers, but for many, it only added confusion. Was that grey? Was that white? Did they read it, or didn’t they?
Now, WhatsApp is putting an end to the confusion. According to Wabetainfo, the platform is testing a new update that restores blue read receipts across all chat themes, on both Android and iOS. The idea is simple: no matter what background you’re using, when a message has been read, the ticks will be clearly blue, regardless of the background.
It may sound like a little change, but it speaks to something bigger. WhatsApp is in the middle of a long push to balance personalisation over clarity. Over the past year, the app has introduced a range of features from theme customisation to new wallpaper options, giving users more ways to make their chats feel personal. But the read receipt confusion proves that too much customisation can undermine the clear, intuitive design that WhatsApp is known for.
This change is also part of a broader strategy. With competitors like Telegram and Signal chipping away at niche audiences, WhatsApp has been doubling down on design refinements that prioritise clarity and accessibility while still keeping things fresh. Consistency is the key to trust in messaging apps, and the blue tick has become a universal shorthand for accountability in digital conversations. Removing it, even unintentionally, was always going to cause problems.
For now, the blue receipts are only available to select beta testers. WhatsApp hasn’t confirmed whether the update will roll out globally, but the company is monitoring feedback before making a final call. As Wabetainfo notes, this testing phase leaves room for adjustments, and it’s possible WhatsApp could tweak the design again if users with accessibility needs struggle with the colour shift.
Still, the move is likely to resonate with the millions of people who instinctively rely on the grey-to-blue distinction. In a world where so much digital communication happens in silence, a small flicker of colour carries more meaning than it probably should. And WhatsApp knows it.
The message is clear: customisation is nice, but clarity comes first.
