Signal adds custom wallpapers and animated stickers to catch up to WhatsApp

Signal has started testing features that make the messaging platform feel a little friendlier. Signal announced earlier new features will introduce including chat wallpapers and animated stickers. Two new features are now available in the beta version of the app.

Sharing screenshots of what chat wallpapers look like and you can change your chat wallpaper in Signal by going to Settings > Appearance > Chat wallpaper. You can also change the wallpaper of an individual chat by tapping the person’s name in the top bar and looking for the chat wallpaper option.

There are a total of 21 chat wallpapers to choose from, including 12 solid colors and 9 gradient colors. You can also choose a photo from your phone’s camera roll for extra personalization. Before, Signal featured only white and black backgrounds depending on if dark mode was enabled on your device.

Signal appears to be adding a simple About section for users profiles. Users will have the opportunity to choose an emoji and also add a short description of themselves. It’s a simple way to share some of your personality before even having a conversation. Signal users can save several blurbs and switch between them on the fly, essentially making them status updates.

If you are using iOS, Signal said it also plans to add media auto-download settings and full-screen profile photos.