14 DAY TRIAL // Once in a blue moon, WhatsApp users get new wallpaper packs, but the developers have always failed to address an issue with these wallpapers appearing in black & white on iOS. Facebook hasn’t rushed to fix the glitch either, following the costly acquisition in February.
It isn’t clear how many users are experiencing this issue, but there are quite a few reports of the glitch being present on iOS platforms. Whichever wallpaper you select, it just displays in black and white. Which is a shame, as some of the backgrounds are truly breathtaking.
I’ve found a very easy fix for the issue, which involves a mere three taps in any conversation window. As the screenshot above shows, the steps are:
1. Tap the upmost side of your display to rapidly scroll up to the very beginning of the conversation; 2. Tap the Edit button; 3. Once in Edit mode don’t do anything and just hit Cancel at the top right-hand corner.
You should now be back in your conversation with a color wallpaper visible in the background. And you’ll notice that your wallpaper got its colors back even before hitting Cancel. If the guide was of any help, drop a line in the comments below.
Update: as we've all discovered, this fix is unfortunately a temporary one. However, Softpedia reader Zee points out in the comments what appears to be a permanent fix: Settings > General Accessibility > Increase Contrast > turn off Darken Colors.