WhatsApp has almost finished a rather radical redesign of its interface, especially in the settings section. We were able to test it and this redesign, in addition to being more modern and providing quick access to some functions, something left six years ago: person view.

The oldest in the place will remember that WhatsApp used to have three tabs: calls, chats, and contacts. When new states arrive, contacts tab disappeared and it will now be resurrected as direct access from within our profile.

Meeting with our contacts

WhatsApp is an application that is about to turn 15 and its appearance is starting to smell a little off. The app has been slowly revamping part of its interface in recent years, and the settings section is about to change completely, including a profile shortcut that reminds us of the profile Google has implemented in their apps. More changes are on the way, including a new context menu and tweaks to Material You.

Change in WhatsApp settings, quick access to various sections previously hidden in context menus (like paired devices). These accesses happen on the three buttons directly below our name (profile, privacy, and contacts) and two other buttons directly below them (starred messages and connected devices). Below are the settings menus we already have: account, avatar, chats, notifications, storage and data, application language, help and invite friends.

However, the most curious thing about this redesign, Contacts are back, simply that they had been missing for six years. The closest we’ve had since then was the floating button to start a new conversation, but it’s not the same.

As WhatsApp introduces new statuses, the app has added a tab for statuses and deleted contacts. The floating button to start a new conversation gives you more or less the same thing, but tapping one of them opens the chat instead of the info. To see the information, you need to tap the profile picture and then the info button.

Contacts tab how to disappear before and after new statuses arrive

After all these years we have long forgotten this and curiously now WhatsApp saves the idea With this new shortcut in settings that takes us directly to how it worked in 2017: By tapping on a contact, we see their information without further ado.

This person view is also new place to start a mailing list, from the context menu. While the function, which is certain to be not very popular, was accessible from the Chats tab in the past – also as a menu – it will live more hidden than ever as a menu in the contacts menu. The redesign isn’t live for users yet, so it may change before it’s official.

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