Technology & Gadgets | August 2026 | 3 min read
⚡ Quick Takeaways
⚡ WhatsApp is building an AI photo expansion tool that converts any image to 9:16 format using Meta AI to fill edges.
⚡ Found in beta code (Android 2.26.33.2) — not yet available to beta testers; no public release date announced.
⚡ The tool lives inside WhatsApp’s existing drawing editor — no need to leave the app.
⚡ Designed for WhatsApp Status where 9:16 is the ideal vertical format — may roll out to chats separately.
⚡ Meta AI generates the expanded content around the original image; users can retry if not satisfied.
WhatsApp is building a solution to a problem every user has encountered: a landscape or square photo that leaves awkward black bars when shared to Status. The new AI image expansion tool, spotted in WhatsApp’s Android beta code, uses Meta AI to generate content around the original photo — stretching it to a full 9:16 vertical frame without cropping a single pixel of the original image.
| 9:16
Output Format Full-screen vertical for Status |
Meta AI
Technology Generative fill around edges |
In Dev
Status Not yet in beta — no release date |
What the Feature Does
The AI image expansion tool analyses a photo and generates additional visual content around its edges to fill a 9:16 vertical frame. The original image remains untouched — Meta AI creates the surrounding context from scratch, matching the photo’s style, colours and subject matter as best it can. The result is a full-screen vertical image ready for WhatsApp Status.
The workflow stays inside WhatsApp’s drawing editor. Users open a photo, scroll through the filters section to find the expansion option, select it, and wait a few seconds while Meta AI processes the image. If the result is not satisfactory — if the AI-generated fill looks wrong — users can retry until they get a usable output.
| ℹ️ Outpainting in a Messaging App — What Makes This Significant This is generative AI image outpainting — the same technique used in professional tools like Adobe Photoshop’s Generative Expand and Google’s Magic Eraser. WhatsApp is bringing it to a messaging app used by over two billion people, which is a significant democratisation of a capability previously requiring dedicated photo editing software. |
Why 9:16 and Why Status
The 9:16 aspect ratio fills a smartphone screen in portrait orientation — it is the format used by Instagram Stories, YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and WhatsApp Status. Photos taken in landscape (16:9) or square formats leave blank space at the top and bottom of a Status frame, which looks unfinished. The only current alternative is to crop the photo, which typically removes the top or bottom of the original.
WhatsApp Status is one of the most heavily used features on the platform in South Asia, including Pakistan, where Status updates serve as a primary personal expression channel. A tool that makes photos look better on Status without needing a third-party app will have immediate practical utility for the majority of WhatsApp users.
| ⚠️ Status First, Chats Later — Likely Phased Rollout The feature may roll out for Status first and extend to chats later — following WhatsApp’s historical approach of testing drawing editor tools in Status before expanding them. This is worth noting for users expecting it to appear in chat photo editing immediately. |
When It’s Coming
The feature was discovered in WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.26.33.2 — in the code but not yet activated for beta testers to use. WhatsApp has not announced a public release date or confirmed which regions will receive it at launch. Based on WhatsApp’s typical development cycle, a feature spotted in beta code usually reaches beta testers within a few weeks and the general public within one to three months — though this timeline is not guaranteed.
Disclaimer: Feature details are from code spotted in WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.33.2. The feature has not been released to beta testers and WhatsApp has not announced a public release date or confirmed supported regions.
