Ammon News - WhatsApp is rolling out a new profile customisation feature that lets users add cover photos to their personal accounts. The feature is currently available to some Android beta testers and brings a personalisation option that was previously limited to WhatsApp Business accounts. Users can also control who gets to see their cover photos through dedicated privacy settings.

WhatsApp brings cover photos to personal profiles
According to WABetaInfo, the feature has been spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.43.11. It allows users to add a landscape image at the top of their profile, giving it a more personalised appearance. The cover photo does not replace the existing profile picture, so users can display both simultaneously.

The banner also appears at the top of the app’s Settings section. When someone opens a user’s chat info screen, the cover photo is displayed above their profile picture, name and phone number. If a user has not uploaded an image, WhatsApp displays a default cover instead.

To add one, users can tap the Edit button on their profile page. WhatsApp then offers options to take a new photograph, select an image from the gallery, or generate one using Meta AI. The app automatically crops the selected image to fit the landscape layout.

Users get control over cover photo privacy
WhatsApp is also introducing dedicated privacy controls for cover photos. Users can choose from four visibility options: Everyone, My contacts, My contacts except, and Nobody. The default setting is Everyone, which allows anyone to view the banner.


The My contacts option restricts visibility to saved contacts, while My contacts except lets users exclude specific people. Selecting Nobody hides the cover photo from everyone without requiring users to remove it from their profile.

The feature is gradually rolling out to Android beta testers through the Google Play Store. However, installing the compatible beta version does not guarantee immediate access, as availability is being expanded in stages. WhatsApp has not confirmed when profile cover photos will reach the stable version or become available to all users.