WhatsApp now lets you create avatars for your profile photo

(Image credit: WhatsApp)

What you need to know

• WhatsApp officially introduces the ability to create avatars.
• Avatars on WhatsApp allow you to set a digital version of yourself as your profile photo.
• WhatsApp also generates a custom sticker pack with 36 stickers based on your avatar, which you can send in chats.

Meta is bringing customizable avatars to WhatsApp that can be used as profile photos, bringing the service in line with Instagram and Facebook.

Avatars on WhatsApp are digital representations of yourself that you can use in lieu of your real photo on the messaging app. After creating your avatar, WhatsApp generates a set of 36 custom stickers that you can send to friends in chats. These stickers represent a variety of emotions and actions, providing you with a variety of choices depending on your mood. 

"Your avatar is a digital version of you that can be created from billions of combinations of diverse hair styles, facial features, and outfits," WhatsApp said in a blog post (opens in new tab).

The official launch of avatars comes after months of beta testing, and it apparently went live for some beta testers in October. This gave away a few details about the feature, including the fact that avatars generate a Bitmoji-like sticker pack similar to Snapchat (or Memoji in the case of Apple).

Meta positions WhatsApp avatars as a great alternative to using your picture as your profile photo, so it "feels more private." The social networking giant vows to continue rolling out enhancements to avatars such as more customization options for lighting, shading, and hairstyle textures in the future.

To set up your avatar (opens in new tab), head over to the Settings menu and then tap "Avatar," where you will find the option to create your digital version. To set it as your profile photo, simply go to Settings again and tap your profile photo. Select "edit" and tap "Use Aavatar."

Meanwhile, WhatsApp is working on new features for avatars, including the ability for you and your contacts to create multi-character avatar stickers using your friend's avatar.

However, you're currently unable to export your WhatsApp avatar to Facebook or Instagram, according to TechCrunch (opens in new tab). Similarly, you can't use your WhatsApp avatar as your profile photo on Facebook or Instagram.