WhatsApp Adds AI Photo Expansion to Fill Screens
The beta feature uses Meta AI to extend photos to a full 9:16 frame, with a broader rollout planned over the coming weeks.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
WhatsApp is rolling out an AI feature that expands photos in chats and status updates, generating a 9:16 version using Meta AI. The feature is in beta testing on iOS and Android, and some users who install the latest App Store version can already use it. It is not yet broadly available, so it should be treated as a staged rollout rather than a finished release.
Why it matters
The feature brings generative image extension into a messaging app used at scale, removing the need to resize photos in a separate tool before sharing. It shows generative AI moving from standalone apps into everyday communication software, with the expanded image shown for review before anything is sent.
The feature is identified by its beta build numbers, 2.26.44.8 on Android and 26.44.10.16 on iOS via TestFlight. The only specified output format is the 9:16 aspect ratio of the generated expanded image. No benchmark or quality comparison has been published, and the figures above describe the rollout, not measured performance.
The players
A Meta-owned messaging platform whose app is distributed through the App Store, Google Play and TestFlight beta channels, and which is now adding generative image tools to chat.
Meta AI
Meta's generative AI assistant, which powers the photo expansion by generating the added image content around the original photo.
The details
The feature works through the drawing editor, where an Edit tab exposes an option to expand the photo. Meta AI analyzes the image for a few seconds and then generates the extended area to produce a full 9:16 frame. The result is previewed in the editor, and the user can tap undo to restore the original photo; the expanded image is never sent automatically.
Timeline
Feature discovered in the WhatsApp beta for iOS 26.44.10.16 on TestFlight, with the Android beta build 2.26.44.8 reporting the same option.
Article reporting the iOS photo expansion rollout published 5 November 2026.
The Tech Race
The move places WhatsApp alongside other messaging and social apps adding generative editing directly into the compose flow rather than in separate tools. Its distinguishing angle is the reliance on Meta's own AI model and the staged beta rollout across both major mobile platforms.
Users who update to the latest App Store version may already see the Edit tab option to expand a photo with Meta AI, while others on the beta channels will get it as the rollout widens. The expanded image is previewed before sharing, and users can revert to the original with one tap, so nothing is sent without review.
The takeaway
Generative photo extension inside a mainstream messaging app is a sign that AI editing is moving into the default sharing flow. Watch whether WhatsApp confirms the broader rollout in the coming weeks and whether it expands the feature beyond the 9:16 format.
What happens next
WhatsApp has said the photo expansion feature will reach more users over the coming weeks, which is the next point to check for a broader launch.
Further reading
For broader context on how generative models are being built into consumer software, explore the Artificial Intelligence section.
