What Do Various Icons and Symbols Mean on WhatsApp

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I have compiled a list of all the icons and symbols you will find while using WhatsApp. Knowing the meaning of WhatsApp icons and symbols will help you use the app and avoid unnecessary taps and misunderstandings while communicating.

1. WhatsApp Home Screen Symbols Meaning

1. Camera Icon: This icon lets you capture a photo or video that you can quickly share with friends or set as a WhatsApp status.
2. New List (Plus in Circle) Icon: You can add a new custom list of your chats by tapping this icon.
3. Pin: A pin icon next to the chats means the chat has been pinned to the top. It will stay at the top even when you scroll.
4. @ symbol: The @ symbol on the home screen means someone has mentioned or tagged you.
5. Mute (Bell with Line Striking Through it) Icon: This icon shows that you have muted the chat and won’t receive notifications from it. To unmute a chat, touch and hold it and select the Unmute option.
6. Meta AI (Gradient Circle) Icon: Located at the bottom of the chat list, this gradient circle icon opens the Meta AI chat. Use it to interact with Meta’s AI assistant directly within WhatsApp.

Add/Search Conversation (Plus) Icon: Tapping on the Plus icon in the top right corner (iPhone) or bottom right corner (Android) will allow you to create a new group, add a new contact, form a new community, a new broadcast, or start a new conversation with an existing contact.

The QR code icon next to New Contact (Android) lets you generate a QR code for your number and scan QR codes.

You will find the QR icon next to your name in Settings on your iPhone.

Search (Magnifying Glass) Icon: You know this is the search icon, but if you’re new to tech, it helps you find your recent chats, including photos, GIFs, links, and messages.

Menu (3-Dotted) Icon: Treat this icon as a More button. Tapping it gives you various options, such as new group, new broadcast, linked devices, starred messages, payments, and settings. However, you can only use it to select chats on your iPhone.

QR Code Scanner Icon (Android): Use this icon to scan the QR code for making online payments through WhatsApp. This feature is exclusive to limited regions though.

Green or Blue Ring/Circle: The green or blue ring encircling the profile picture means the person has added a new WhatsApp status. Tapping on it will show their status, and once viewed, the ring will disappear from your chat screen.

Once you tap the green circle and see the status, the circle will turn grey. You can still watch the status by tapping on the grey circle.

Notification Dots Meaning

Number Inside the Circle: This icon displays the number of unread messages next to the chat.

Green Dot: When a chat displays a green dot but no number, it signifies that you’ve manually marked it as unread.

Single Dot Icon (Android): The dot icon above the Updates and Communities tab in WhatsApp means a new message or notification is waiting for your attention.

2. Chat Thread Icons Meaning (Android)

You will see the following icons at the top upon long-pressing a chat on the chat list.

1. Numbers: This displays the number of chats you’ve currently selected. For example, if you’ve selected two chats, it will show “2”.
2. Pin: This icon lets you pin a chat. When a chat is pinned, it will stay at the top of the chat thread even if new messages arrive in other chats. You can pin only 3 chats.
3. Trash: Use the Trash Can icon to delete the chat thread.
4. Speaker With Bar: This icon lets you mute the selected chat. When a chat is muted, this icon will appear without the bar. Tap on it to unmute the chat.
5. Box with Down Arrow: Use this icon to archive a chat. Archive lets you hide chats without deleting them.
6. Menu (Three Vertical Dots) Icon: Tapping this icon opens a menu with additional options related to the selected chat(s), allowing you to perform actions like Add chat shortcut, View contact, Lock chat, etc.

3. WhatsApp Communities Symbols Meaning

1. Plus Sign in Green Circle Icon: Tapping this icon will let you create a new community.
2. Loudspeaker Icon: Under each community, you will find one group with the loudspeaker icon. This is the announcement group where admins can broadcast messages to all community members. It acts like a one-way information channel.

Tip: Know the difference between WhatsApp communities and groups.

4. WhatsApp Updates Symbols Meaning

Pencil Icon

The Pencil icon lets you create a text-based status.

Tapping the Pencil icon will give you various options, such as:

1. X: Tap this icon to discard the text status.
2. T: Tap on this icon to change the font style of your status.
3. Color palette: This icon helps change the background color of the status.
4. Paper Icon: Use this icon to publish/share your status.

Camera Icons (Status)

The Camera icon lets you capture a photo or video for your status directly from the status screen.

On the camera page, you’ll find various options, such as:

1. Undo (Curved Arrow) Icon: Treat this icon as the Undo button. Tapping on it will revert to the most recent action or step taken.
2. Crop: This icon lets you crop your image to the desired size. On the cropping screen, press the Rotate or Rectangle icon to rotate your image or change the aspect ratio, respectively.
3. Emoji/Sticker: This icon lets you add emojis and stickers to your photo or video.
4. Text: Use the T icon to add text to your image.
5. Pencil: Press the pencil icon to go into drawing mode. Use your finger to draw on the image.
6. Plus in Square Icon: This icon allows you to select and add multiple images or videos to your message at once.
7. @ Icon: Use this icon to mention or tag specific people so that they will get a message saying you mentioned them, they can view your status, and they can reshare your status with their audience.

5. WhatsApp Calls Tab Symbols

Under the Calls tab on the home screen, you have the following icons:

Plus Sign: Use this icon to start a new audio or video call with a contact you choose on the next screen. On Android, the icon appears as a floating bubble, and on iPhone, it’s at the top-right corner.

Tip: Know how to create and share WhatsApp call links.

Phone and Video Camera Icon: If you see a phone icon next to a contact in your call history, it means you had an audio call with them. If there’s a video camera icon, it means you had a video call with them.

6. WhatsApp Video Call Screen Icons

When you are on a WhatsApp video call, you will be greeted by the following icons:

1. Minimize (Two Arrows Pointing Each Other) Icon: This icon allows you to minimize the video/audio call screen, enabling you to navigate to other apps or parts of WhatsApp while the call continues in a smaller window.
2. Person With a Plus Sign: Add more people to the ongoing video/audio call on– lets you create a group call.
3. Flip (Camera With Rotating Arrow) Icon: This icon lets you switch the camera between front and rear.
4. Filters (Magic Wand) Icon: Tapping this icon opens the filters menu, where you can add various filters, effects, backgrounds, and more to enhance your video call.
5. More Options (Three Horizontal Dots) Icon: This icon opens a menu with additional options during the video/audio call, including “Share Screen” and “Send Message.
6. Video Camera Icon: Use this icon to turn the video on or off. If the icon is highlighted, that means the video is off.
7. Bluetooth Icon: Tapping this icon will switch the audio from your phone to your Bluetooth device.
8. Microphone: This icon lets you turn the microphone on or off. If highlighted, it means off.
9. Red Phone: Use this icon to hang up or disconnect the call.

Also, you might notice a green dot near your camera, which indicates that the camera is turned on. We have already covered more on the meaning of iPhone Status Bar Icons and Symbols.

Video Filter Icons Meaning

When you are using the video filters feature in a WhatsApp video call, you will be greeted by the following icons:

1. Back Arrow Icon: This icon allows you to return to the main video call screen.
2. Remove (Minus in Circle) Icon: Tapping this icon removes any currently applied filters, effects, or backgrounds from your video.
3. Low Light Mode (Bulb) Icon: This icon enables low light mode, which brightens your video in dimly lit environments.
4. Touch Up Mode (Mask and Paintbrush) Icon: This icon activates the touch-up mode, which applies subtle enhancements to your face during the video call.
5. No Filter Icon: Tapping this icon removes all applied filters.

7. WhatsApp Audio Call Icons

The audio call screen has similar icons to video calls, so we will only cover the differences specific to audio calls.

1. Speaker Icon: Tapping it will switch the audio from the phone’s earpiece to the speaker.
2. Video Camera: Switch from an audio call to a video call.

8. WhatsApp Chat Symbols Meaning

• Clock Symbol Next to Profile Picture: You will see a clock icon next to the contact or group’s picture when disappearing messages are enabled for that chat. The Disappearing messages will vanish automatically after the set time.
• Audio and Video Call: Right next to the person’s name, you will find the camera and phone icons. Use the camera icon to start a video call with the person and the phone icon to initiate an audio call.
• Payment Icon: The money icon lets you send money through WhatsApp in supported countries.
• Microphone: It lets you send voice notes. Press and hold it to start recording. Release the finger to send the audio note. Slightly swipe your finger up toward the lock icon while recording to reveal more options.

• Right Arrow: This icon appears next to the media files in a chat. Tap on it to forward the media to more WhatsApp contacts.
• Star Icon: This icon is like a special mark that shows you’ve saved a message to find it easily later. To star or unstar a message, touch and hold it and press the Star icon.
  
  To view starred messages on Android, tap on the three-dot icon on the chat list screen and select Starred messages. On iPhone, open Settings > Starred messages.

Right Arrow: When you see a message with a right arrow icon, it indicates that the message has been forwarded. If you notice a double arrow icon, it means the message has been forwarded multiple times.

Paper Clip or + Icon: This icon, next to the typing area, enables you to attach and send documents, images, audio files, locations, or contacts to the recipient.

On iPhone, you will find these two options under the ‘+’ icon.

Business Account with Catalogue Icons Meaning

When interacting with business accounts on WhatsApp, you might encounter some unique icons like the Catalog Icon and more inside this section:

1. Catalog (Hut) Icon: When viewing a business account, this icon represents the business’s product catalog. Tapping it allows you to view the items and services offered by the business.
2. Cart Icon: Located at the top of the catalog screen, this icon displays your shopping cart. Tapping it shows all the items you’ve added to your cart by using the plus icon next to each item.
3. Three Dot Menu Icon: Also at the top of the catalog screen, this icon opens a menu with additional options, such as forwarding or sharing the catalog with other contacts.
4. Plus Icon: Found next to each item in the catalog, this icon allows you to add that specific item to your shopping cart.

9. WhatsApp Delivery Symbols Meaning

• Single Grey Tick: Message has been sent from your end, but it’s yet to be delivered to the recipient.
• Two Grey Ticks: Message has been delivered but hasn’t been seen yet.
• Two Blue Ticks: The dreadful blue ticks mean that the message has been seen by the recipient.
• Clock Symbol: The clock symbol next to your message indicates that the message hasn’t left your device. It could be due to a network issue on your phone.

10. WhatsApp Chat Camera Icon Meaning

It resembles the camera icon you saw on the WhatsApp status page, but with a few additional features we’d like to mention, such as:

When you open the camera within a chat to send a photo or video, you’ll see the following icons:

1. Flash (Thunder) Icon: This icon controls the flash. If the flash is off, the icon will have a line strike through it. When the flash is on, the icon turns yellow. If the flash is set to automatic, it displays an “A” with the thunderbolt symbol.
2. Gallery (Picture) Icon: Tapping this icon allows you to select images or videos from your device’s gallery to send in the chat.
3. Filter (Magic Wand) Icon: Similar to the icon in video calls, this icon opens a filter menu, allowing you to apply various effects to your photos or videos. Note that unlike video calls, this mode includes a flash option.
4. Switch Lens (1x) Icon: This icon allows you to switch between the different lenses available on your device’s camera.

Now, let’s cover the section of icons we encounter after we capture an image:

HD Icon: Tap this icon to choose whether to send the image in standard quality or high-resolution quality.

Camera/Gallery Icon: This icon, next to the Add a caption box lets you select more images that you can upload to your status in one go.

(1): When sending a photo or video, a (1) icon appears in the Add a caption box. This icon lets you set the media to View once mode, which disappears automatically after viewing.

11. WhatsApp Voice Note Icons

When you send voice notes, the small circle on the voice note slider starts as gray. On the other hand, when you listen to someone else’s voice notes, it changes from green to blue.

1x Symbol: The 1x symbol next to WhatsApp voice messages lets you increase their speed. Press on 1x to hear a voice note at 1.5x or 2x speed.

Secure WhatsApp

I hope all your queries regarding WhatsApp symbols and icons were covered in this post. Now that you have become proficient in using WhatsApp, it’s time to learn about the important WhatsApp privacy settings to secure your account.