WhatsApp has started rolling out a generative artificial intelligence feature aimed at expanding the framing of photographs before they are sent. This feature was developed in collaboration with Meta AI and allows images to be adapted to the 9:16 vertical format, ideal for content that fully fills mobile device screens.
Currently, this new feature is being made available progressively to users who are part of the beta programs for both Android and iOS systems. Unlike simply stretching or cropping the photo, the system performs a detailed analysis of the scene and then creates new visual elements in the border areas.
This artificial intelligence generates complements that harmonize with the original setting, such as extensions of the floor, the sky, or the walls of an indoor environment. To use the tool, the user must select an image from the gallery to share in a conversation or post to Status, activate the pencil icon in the image editor to access the AI options. WhatsApp then displays a preview in a few seconds, allowing the user to approve it or choose another suggestion generated by the system.
The function is primarily optimized for photos that have square or horizontal formats; when the image is already in vertical format, the expansion option will not be displayed. The distribution of the test varies among participants, according to the specialized website WABetaInfo.
Specifically, on Android, the functionality was detected starting from version 2.26.44.8 of the WhatsApp beta, which was distributed through the Google Play Store. On iPhone, the tool is being released to participants in the iOS testing program via TestFlight. The implementation follows a gradual schedule, and not all participants have access to the same functionalities. Meta has not yet announced a definitive date for making this function available to all users of the stable version of the application.



