WhatsApp Updates Avatar Features With Selfie-Based Avatar Manufacturing Capability

JAKARFTA - Many WhatsApp users are faced with a dilemma: what photo should be used as your profile picture? Last year, WhatsApp launched the Avatar feature that lets you create a cartoon version of yourself as a profile picture.

Now, the messaging app makes the creation of this avatar even simpler. While previous users had to make the cartoon manually, WhatsApp now allows you to create it in seconds - by using selfies.

Here's how to try this new feature on your WhatsApp profile. Meta launched an avatar on WhatsApp in December last year, after seeing the success of this tool on Facebook and Instagram. According to the tech giant, more than a billion Meta Avatars have been created to date.

To date, users have had to create this avatar from scratch, choosing everything from skin tone to clothing. Now, Meta makes it even easier to create avatars.

"You can now take a direct selfie, and within seconds we will provide the recommended avatar options resulting from your photos," WhatsApp explained, as quoted from its blog. "You can choose from the options given and personalize it further to represent yourself as well as possible."

To try this new feature, open the WhatsApp application on your smartphone, and tap Settings. Tap 'Avatar', then tap 'Create Your Avatar'. Take a selfie, then select your skin tone. If you're not satisfied with your selfie, you can choose to take it back at this stage.

Within seconds, the app will provide avatar advice based on your selfie. If you're satisfied, tap Done, or tap 'Do more editing' to customize your cartoon.

"Your photo will not be used for other purposes and the deletion process will begin soon," WhatsApp guarantees.

This feature has been tested with'several users' around the world, and will now be rolling out globally starting Monday 4 December.

This new feature comes shortly after WhatsApp launched the ability to set Secret Codes on private chats. As the name suggests, this feature lets you set a unique password on the conversation, ensuring that you stay away from the eyes that you want to steal information.