WhatsApp allows importing animated stickers, but you probably can't use it yet

The feature is rolling out first to Brazil, Iran and Indonesia, and is expected to arrive in other countries at a later stage.

You can now import animated sticker packs in WhatApp for Android and iOS in Iran, Indonesia and Brazil.  (REUTERS)

WhatsApp has rolled out support for animated stickers in the past, bringing even more opportunities for users to express themsel on Android and iOS. However, users were limited to using the animated stickers available on the apps built-in sticker service. That is set to change, as a new report suggests that the company is now enabling the ability to import animated stickers just like static stickers.

UPDATE: compatible countries are Brazil 🇧🇷, Iran 🇮🇷 and Indonesia 🇮🇩! https://t.co/AR2gmRyuZu

— WABetaInfo (@WABetaInfo) March 2, 2021

Noted WhatsApp leaker WABetaInfo tweeted the information earlier today, stating that the company was rolling out the ability to import third party animated sticker packs in Brazil, India and Indonesia for both iOS and Android platforms today. However, after some Indian users replied stating they were unable to import animated stickers, the account later tweeted that the compatible countries were Brazil, Iran and Indonesia.

The ability to import third party static images as stickers in WhatsApp had led to the arrival of several sticker pack apps on the Google Play Store as well as Apple's App Store. Other apps that let users make their own sticker packs have also become very popular and WABetaInfo says these apps will also be able to import animated images as stickers on WhatsApp.

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According to the report, the ability to import stickers should be rolling out to users on version 2.21.3.19 of WhatsApp for Android and version 2.21.31.2 of WhatsApp for iOS respectively. Users can use the Sticker Maker app on the Google Play Store or the App Store to import a video or a GIF and create an animated sticker pack. Users must also add at least three stickers to a pack before they can be imported, and a pack can either contain animated stickers or static stickers according to WhatsApp's guidelines, the report states.